Ben Stegner

Pittsburgh

Editor in Chief at MUO

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Articles

How Often Do You Send Money to Friends Digitally?

1 week ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

Digital payments are a great option for shopping on your phone or ordering food, but also for paying friends or family. Whether you need to pay a friend for a service or want to split a bill, using apps like Apple Pay and Venmo is super convenient. But how often do you use such apps to send money to friends? I don't use these apps super often since not everyone I know uses them, but I definitely prefer them over getting cash out or writing a check.
What Are Some Tech Myths You Wish Had Died by Now?

2 weeks ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

Though myths are hard to kill off, experts always do their best to dispel them so people know the truth. Some tech myths have arisen from outdated advice or just simple misunderstandings. Of all the myths you've heard, which ones do you wish would go away already? For me, the worst is people constantly swiping all their open apps closed on their phone even though this is counter-productive.
Someone Bought a Fraudulent Gift Card With My Amazon Account: Here’s What I Did

2 weeks ago | businessandamerica.com | Ben Stegner

Given how long I’ve been working for a tech website, it’s embarrassing to admit my card was recently used for a fraudulent purchase on Amazon. Here’s what happened, how I fixed it quickly, and what you can learn from my slip-up. The Phony Purchase One day as I finished working, I got an email that my Amazon Prime credit card had been charged $250.
Someone Bought a Fraudulent Gift Card With My Amazon Account: Here's What I Did

2 weeks ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

Given how long I've been working for a tech website, it's embarrassing to admit my card was recently used for a fraudulent purchase on Amazon. Here's what happened, how I fixed it quickly, and what you can learn from my slip-up. The Phony Purchase One day as I finished working, I got an email that my Amazon Prime credit card had been charged $250.
Have You Ever Vented to ChatGPT When Stressed?

3 weeks ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

Chatbots can answer (or attempt to answer) all kinds of questions, but you can also give them statements to see their response. Some people turn to ChatGPT (or other AI bots) for unorthodox methods, like venting stress when you're ticked off. Have you ever done this? If so, were you happy with the response? I've never done this, and don't think I ever would. I presume the bot would give a generic response that's not helpful, plus it can't truly understand how you're feeling.
I Can't Believe YouTube Hasn't Fixed This Year-Long Quality Issue Yet

4 weeks ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

In late April 2024, the YouTube app on my LG smart TV started reducing videos to 480p quality. If you can believe it, YouTube still hasn’t fixed this issue over a year later. It's so irritating that I've documented the tale to share. YouTube Forces Low Quality for Certain Videos At first, I couldn’t figure out why some videos dropped to 480p while others played at max resolution. After testing, I narrowed down the problem: this only happens when increasing the playback speed of 60FPS videos.
Do You Prefer Building Your PC or Buying a Ready-Made One?

1 month ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

What’s Your Favorite Laptop Brand? Does the Whole “AI Revolution” Bother You at All? What’s Geekiest Thing You’ve Ever Done With Your Computer?
Here's the Secure Way to Use Password Hints and Security Questions

1 month ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

When security questions and password hints are required for your accounts, you might not be filling them out wisely. To best protect your account security, you shouldn’t be truthful in these fields. Understanding Password Hints vs. Security Questions While these two account security features sound similar, they’re not the same. Password hints are just that—a small tip to help you recall a password you’ve forgotten.
Does the Whole “AI Revolution” Bother You at All?

1 month ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

You could describe what we're in right now as an AI revolution—it's rapidly improving in power, speed, understanding, and much more. AI's fast upgrades are exciting in one way, but concerning in others. Are you on board for everything with AI, wish it would have never happened, or feel another way? I'm generally not a fan of AI, at least in its current implementation. I worry a lot about what the world will look like over the next decade when it's already evolved as fast as it has.
What’s Your Stance on the “Endless Scrolling” Feature?

1 month ago | makeuseof.com | Ben Stegner

Endless scrolling is most commonly associated with social media, but it appears on lots of other websites and apps too. Google stopped supporting infinite scroll a while ago, and MUO has also had it at various points in the past too. Do you find endless scrolling to be useful, a time trap, or something else? It depends on the app for me.