Andrew Braun - Make Tech Easier

Bone Conduction Tech: How It Works and Where It’s Being Used

While bone conduction technology’s been around for a while, headphones based on it are starting to take off. Learn what bone conduction tech is and where it’s being used.

What Does Predictive Analytics Predict, and How Well Does It Do?

Predictive analytics analyzes data to figure out what might happen in the future. How does predictive analytics really work, and how reliable are its forecasts?

The Stories Behind .unicorn, .ninja, and Other Bizarre Domain Extensions

You can now get a .ninja domain name to show off your expertise. Check out some other bizarre domain extensions and the stories behind them.

What Are the Most Popular Top-Level Domain Names and What Do They Mean?

Recent years have seen an explosion in the number of available domain names. Here are some of the more popular top-level domain names and what they really mean.

Which Is the Best Voice Assistant? Here’s What We Found

There are several voice assistants on the market, but which is the best? We did a comparison, and these are our results on the best voice assistant.

What Does an Algorithm Look Like?

We know that Google and Amazon have algorithms that give us updates, search results, and product recommendations, but what does that actually mean? What qualifies as an algorithm?

Internet Freedom is on the Decline Worldwide, but All Hope Is Not Lost

Internet freedom has continued its steady eight-year decline in 2018. Certain forces have gotten much more adept at manipulating and monitoring it. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Compulsion Loops and Dopamine Hits: How Games Are Designed to Be Addictive

The dopamine that we get from video games and the techniques we’ve devised to get that dopamine lie at the root of both good and addictive game design.

JPG vs. PNG vs. GIF: The Differences Between Image File Formats

There are many different image file formats, and it can be confusing. Check out the differences between these image file formats and learn which one to use.

Why Giving Blockchains the Ability to Talk to Each Other is a Big Deal

Every blockchain works differently and can’t reliably transfer data between multiple chains. That’s likely to change, though, as there are projects that allow blockchain to talk to each other.

How Drones Are Saving Lives

For most of their history, drones have been primarily associated with warfare, but now they’re actually being used for a very different task: saving lives.

What You Need to Know About “Dark Patterns” and How They Trick Users

Many websites and apps come with dark pattern interfaces to confuse and trick their users. Find out what “dark patterns” are and how they are used to trick people.

How Facial Recognition Is Being Used for Law Enforcement and Why It’s Concerning

Government agencies are using AI and facial recognition to make law enforcement safer and more efficient. Should we be concerned about this?

4 of the Best MOOC Platforms for Online Learning and Getting a Degree

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have become massively popular. Here are some of the best MOOC platforms you can access for online learning and get a degree.

How Massive Open Online Courses Are Trying to Change Education

There’s a lot of demand for more affordable, flexible online courses now, and getting an online degree will increasingly be seen as a realistic alternative.

Why Is Google+ Shutting Down and Does It Matter?

Google identified a security glitch in Google+ back in March 2018 and is now shutting down the service. Here’s what you need to know and how it affects you.

How Fast Does Your Internet Connection Need to Be?

How much bandwidth do we really need? And how fast does our Internet connection need to be to fulfill our needs? Let’s find out. You’ll be in for a surprise.

How to Send a Fax from Your Computer

In some countries sending a fax is still the way to do business and get a document signed. Here are a few options for you to send a fax from your computer.

Why Does Everyone Want Your Data?

Data: companies want it, users have it, and it’s valuable. But it’s not often clear what user data consists of, where it goes, and how it’s profitable.

What Are Supercookies, Zombie Cookies, and Evercookies, and Are They a Threat?

Other than the normal browser’s cookies, there are others that are built to keep tabs on you. Learn what are supercookie, zombie cookie and everncookies and how you can get rid of them.

Facebook Messenger Features You Might Not Know About

Over the years Facebook has been adding so many features to Messenger that it’s hard to keep up. Here are some useful Facebook Messenger features you might not know about.

Which Email Providers Are Scanning Your Emails?

There are plenty of email service providers, but which one should you trust? Find out which email providers are scanning your emails.

Who Are the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes, and What Do They Do?

The Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes refers to sets of international intelligence alliances who compose agreements that govern data collection and sharing between governments.

Facebook Users’ Trustworthiness Score: Here’s How It Works

Facebook has started assigning its users a hidden “trustworthiness score” for reporting fake news, but there may be more to the story.

Cryptocurrency vs. Blockchain – What’s the Difference?

Blockchains and cryptocurrencies are parts of a cryptographically administrated and secured system. Despite being used as interchangeable terms, they’re not the same thing.

SIM Card Hijacking: How It Works and What You Can Do About It

SIM hijacking has been around for a while, and its becoming a lot more popular for hackers to steal phone numbers and use them to gain access to accounts.

What is DOCSIS and How Does It Make Gigabit-Speed Cable Internet a Reality?

A new DOCSIS 3.1 standard may make gigabit speed Internet a reality. Learn what DOCSIS is and how it can increase Internet speed with a few hardware changes.

How to Check If a Power Bank Is Allowed on a Flight

If you’re planning on bringing a power bank on the plane, you should check its specs first. Here is how you can determine if a power bank is allowed on a flight.

Do Blue Light Filtering Apps Really Work?

There are many apps that filter out blue light so you can sleep better at night. How can blue light hurt you? Do blue light filtering apps really work? Let’s find out.

Why Are Upload Speeds So Much Slower than Download Speeds?

You’ve probably noticed that your upload speeds are slow compared to your download speeds. Why the asymmetry?

Weaponized Information: What it is, Where it Comes From, and How to Defend Against It

Weaponized information is anything that is intentionally falsified and meant to influence opinions or perceptions of truth. Learn how to defend against it.

What Makes a Computer Fast?

There are many factors that affect a computer’s speed. If you want to make your computer fast, you’ll need to get the right parts to work together.

What Do Router AC Ratings Like AC1200 and AC3200 Mean?

If you look at your router’s model number, you will always see a term like “AC 1200,” “AC 1900,” etc. So what does this router AC rating mean? Let’s find out.

Do Alternative Keyboard Layouts Really Work?

Other than the standard QWERTY keyboard layout, there are also several alternative keyboard layouts. Are they any good, and do they really work? Let’s find out!

Useful Apps that Help You Make Offline Friends

There are plenty of dating apps around, but what if you just want to look for friends?

How Other Search Engines Compare to Google

If you need to find something on the Internet, you go to Google. But have you tried the other options? Let’s find out how other search engines fare in answering your questions.

Exploring with Google Maps’ New Recommendation Features

Google has added new AI-based recommendation features to its Google Maps. Check them out here.

Foobar: Google’s Open-Secret Hiring Program

Google has a program called Foobar that flags people who go looking for code-related information, giving them coding challenges and occasionally hiring them.

Is Your Phone Waterproof or Just “Splash-resistant?” A Quick Guide to Water Ratings on Technology

Ever wonder what your device IP rating is? Can it really go into the water without damage? Find out what the water rating means regarding technology.

What Exactly Is Facebook Doing With AI?

Facebook has been investing a lot of effort on artifical intelligence, and the sheer scale and rate at which AI is added into its products makes it worth a look.

Captchas: Why We Need Them, How They’re Evolving, and How You Can Solve Them More Easily

As humans, we have to claim we’re not robots fairly often. But there’s more to captchas than meets the eye, and they’re far from foolproof.

How Apple Is Fixing Its Maps and Making It Better

Apple Maps used to be very bad, but it has improved tremendously since 2012.

What Is OpenStreetMap and Should You Be Using It?

OpenStreetMap is open source, user contributed, and free to use. Even if you haven’t heard of it before, chances are good that you’ve used its data.

How Music-Identification Apps Work

Apps like Shazam and Soundhound are great for identifying music. They are easy to use, but how they work is a mystery.

RSS Feeds: What Are They and Are They Still Relevant?

RSS feeds are still a fantastic tool for any news junkie, market-watcher, or social-media-averse individual.

From NAND to NOR: What Do the Different Types of Flash Memory Mean

When buying an SSD, you might notice that you can choose from a few different types of flash memory. The technical terms can be confusing. This explains what NAND and NOR mean.