Renting a car with all the latest bells and whistles – like web browsing and hands-free texting – is fun, but you could be exposing personal information warns the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). When you use a connected rental car’s infotainment system, it may store locations you entered in GPS
Regulations for companies and homeowners using federal funds for projects in flood-prone areas will push construction projects to higher ground. The new regulations recently released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency require building on higher ground, up to two feet higher than the 100-year floodplain, according to the Wall Street
Scientists agree that there is growing evidence that climate change is driving people from their homes. Dozens were killed and more than 100,000 homes were damaged in flooding in Louisiana and 82,000 people were evacuated in San Bernardino County just in the past few weeks. According to the Washington Post,
With the threat of wildfires on the rise in California, firefighters are overhauling basic firefighting equipment to get ahead. Sam Wu, Project Leader with the San Dimas Technology and Development Center, told KPCC Southern California Public Radio that his team is working to make sure firefighters have the most up-to-date
Installing solar panels on your home seems like a great way to save on the electricity bill, but it could also open your home up to hackers. Researcher Frederic Bret-Mounet is sounding the alarm about solar’s potential pitfalls at the computer security industry’s top hacking conferences. Bret-Mounet hacked his own solar panels,
The hackers who stopped a Jeep remotely are back proving more of today’s vehicles have security vulnerabilities. This time, cybersecurity researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek hijacked the steering and brake systems by plugging into the car’s electronic system. What the researchers have done is difficult, but they believe car
Uber and Airbnb have emerged as the leaders of the sharing economy. More people than ever are branching away from traditional hospitality services such as hotels or taxis. Instead, consumers are opting for cheaper home or ride sharing services. But peer-to-peer sharing companies are not sharing the risk. Instead, they
Thieves are turning to tech to hack into and steal some late-model vehicles, raising alarms for both law enforcement and auto insurers. A pair of car thieves were caught on camera using a laptop to start a 2010 Jeep Wrangler and steal it from a home in Houston, Texas
Millions of dead trees increase wildfire risk to property Drought, extreme heat and tens of millions of dead trees could create a destructive wildfire season in California. There are at least 66 million dead trees in six counties across California, according to the U.S. National Forest Service, caused by years
With the threat of the Zika virus looming over many tropical travel destinations, some travelers are choosing to change or cancel vacation plans. Highly affected areas include popular summer spots in the Caribbean, Central and South America, including Summer Olympics host nation Brazil. If you are considering whether