Consumer Tech Update

Imagine you've just been in a car accident, trapped in your vehicle with no help around and you can't reach your cell phone. But, you can still talk so you call out for your virtual assistant to call 911. That's what happened to Nate Felix. Listen as Kim tells his story and reminds us that our smartphones could save our lives.

Smartphone sales have been stagnant the last few years but Samsung plans to change all that. They plan to announce their first foldable smartphone at an unbelievable price.

At the annual Consumer Electronics Show last month, companies like Samsung, Toshiba, Sony and LG made a big deal about their new 8K televisions. Other than the fact that there is hardly any 8K content available, there's another hard fact that will keep you from buying one.

It seems that every couple of weeks, a new viral challenge pops up on social media. Some of these challenges are fun, some are dangerous but this one is really making waves. Kim looks at the 48-hour challenge and the impact it's having on parents and police.

Whether you're a fan or not, romance eBooks are extremely popular on Amazon and some authors are raking in the cash. Kim looks at the business of writing and selling love stories on Amazon Kindle and how authors are cashing in.

Russia is leaving the world wide web as we know it and they have built their own independent internet which they will test this year. Kim looks at the reasoning behind Russia's decision to leave the global internet and what it will mean to the Russian people.

It's a fact that people are holding on to their smartphones longer and that's caused smartphone makers some worry. Sales of new phones have flatlined and in order get people to upgrade their devices, smartphone makers are set to unveil some new features. I'll tell you what smartphone companies are doing to get consumers buying and upgrading again.

There's nothing more annoying than getting a phone call from someone trying to sell you a product or service you don't want. Even worse, they use your cell minutes just to annoy you. The good news is, there are steps you can take to stop these unwanted calls and I'll tell you how.

We all know Facebook is collecting data about us, and you won't believe the reason they say they do it. They must really think we're naive. Look at Europe for example: Facebook has to play by different rules there. European countries are cracking down on what data can be collected, and for good reason!

It's scary enough that a thief would steal your smartphone right out of your hand while you're using it. Now, thieves are getting more aggressive: They're putting people in a choke hold demanding they change their settings. Why? Listen to find out what's behind this disturbing new trend.

If you worry about losing valuable photos if you were to ever lose your smartphone, listen up! There are many ways to retrieve those precious memories so be prepared if this day ever happened. I'll tell you how.

Facebook turned fifteen years old yesterday and sensationalized fake news such as "bacon is as harmful as cigarettes" are still rampant on the site. A bipartisan group of scientists studied so-called health news on Facebook and the results are not surprising. Kim looks at the results of this study and offers some advice on how best to handle these stories when they appear in our Facebook feeds.

Despite all the privacy scandals, more than two billion users remain on Facebook. They stay connected with family and friends, find potential customers, and get the latest news - sometimes accurate, and sometimes not. But all those perceived benefits come at a great cost. Kim looks at a recent study that shows even a temporary break from Facebook can lead to greater happiness and satisfaction for almost everyone.

Even things you own that aren't already smart, don’t have to stay that way. An inexpensive smart plug can make your dumb appliance, lamp or hair dryer smart. Kim gives some tips on inexpensive ways to start upgrading your home to a smart home.

Facebook got caught – again – with its hands in the data cookie jar. This time, an app tracked just every single thing you did on your phone and sent it all back to Facebook. Kim looks at the latest privacy violation from Facebook and what their real motive was behind it.