We're amazed at the information a website can collect about us without our doing anything but visiting.
The other day, we were channel surfing and stopped to watch the famous pitchman Ron Popeil. He was pitching Ronco knives on TV, and on a whim, Joy decided to visit his website, Ronco.com to see what else he was doing. She came, she saw, she left -- without ordering anything or giving our name, address or credit card information.
A few days later, a giant box containing 22 pounds of knives and a holding block arrived. Guess what? We were about to be billed a couple of hundred bucks for our "order." We called FedEx and marked it return to sender.
This seems to be an old business model. It reminded us of the Book of the Month Club. Dealing with it, you had to formally refuse a book, otherwise the company would send it and bill you, informing you that by not refusing it, you had ordered it. Hello, sucker. It is gone, but similar practices endure.
A few days after our surprise knives delivery, a reader asked us about a PCMatics ad he saw on TV. We told him to run for the hills, just on general principle.
But what if it was actually a good deal? How do you check these things out? Well, the fastest and simplest way is whenever you see a deal that raises an eyebrow or two, go to Google.com, type in the product's name and add the word "reviews." When we checked "PCMatics reviews," we saw a truckload of complaints.
PCMatics -- and there are several other outfits like this -- will diagnose your computer's problems for a low cost, sometimes for free. But if you want them fixed, there's a hefty fee. A Naval officer reported that PCMatics totally messed up his two computers. Another customer said he called the company because his computer got a virus as soon as he installed its software. He was told he needed to pay $189 plus the cost of labor to get rid of it. So he canceled his subscription immediately and asked for a refund. Didn't happen. In fact, no one answered the phone when he called back.
If your computer is working fine and your anti-virus program is up for renewal, renew it. And beware of any "magic stick" or similar promises to fix any computer problems.
Bracelet Phone
We sometimes wear our hearts on our sleeves and soon may be wearing our phones there. A company is raising funds on Indiegogo.com, a crowd-funding site, like Kickstarter, for what it calls the "Blu Wearable Smartphone."
This is not like Apple Watch and similar wristwatch gadgets; this one wraps all the way around your wrist or forearm, and you can read the display as you turn the band. The screen is as big as a regular cellphone, only it's curved around your wrist. It's 10 inches long when unrolled, and 2 inches wide.
You can do that these days using Corning Glass Co.'s "gorilla glass," which is so flexible you can bend it almost completely back on itself. We think this is more likely the future of the wearable phone, rather than the wristwatch model.
The bracelet phone -- for want of a better name -- is due out in summer 2016; you're taking a chance if you pre-order it, since it's still under development. But company will give it to you for 60 percent off if you do: $319 instead of $819. The company is looking to raise a million dollars through crowd funding and has raised more than $80,000 in the first nine days. If it doesn't reach its goal, you get a refund.
App Happy Birding
If you can't tell the difference between a white-breasted nuthatch and a blue jay, we're ashamed of you. You probably could use the Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell University Ornithology Lab. Those who don't use smartphones can skip the app and get the information they want from AllAboutBirds.org.
The app is handy when you're out in the field discovering new birds and is free for iPhone and Android. It asks you a few simple questions about the bird you just saw. Check off the silhouette that most closely resembles the bird, ranging from tiny like a sparrow to large like a goose. Don't forget to check off what the bird was doing, whether lounging in a bush or walking around honking. The app will show you a few photos of birds, one of which is likely the one you saw, complete with bird facts and a bird call you and the fowl can hear on your phone.
It's not magic, despite the Merlin name, but is based on millions of sightings by birders around the world. The app knows your location, so it knows what birds you're likely to see. If you have friends into this, you might enjoy using the app to share your discoveries with them.
The Numbers Report
Forty-seven percent of U.S. jobs are in danger of being taken by smart machines and software in the next two decades, according to a recent study by Oxford University's Martin School. Oddly enough, knowledge workers at the middle and top of the workforce are more at risk than those doing physical labor. Already, for example, some news services are using robots to write financial and sports stories.
Google Health Tip
We use Google every time we have a question about anything, but some searches are better than others. Adding details helps.
Compare the search for "Paleo diet," with the search on "Paleo risks." Without the word "risks," you get a lot of promotional sites. Search on "gluten-free risks," not "gluten free," to get the full picture. Adding the word "myth" can also help when searching on health topics, such as "myths of soy." Sometimes we add the words "side effects" or "dangers." If something sounds like an urban legend, we copy and paste the whole phrase into Google.com. It's often revealed as a hoax.
SundayMonday Business on 06/22/2015