Here’s How to Fix Your Phone Now That Verizon Says the Outage Is Resolved
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- life
- Comments Off on Here’s How to Fix Your Phone Now That Verizon Says the Outage Is Resolved
If you have Verizon, yesterday might have been a bit chaotic. The wireless carrier’s coverage was down for large swaths of the country for much of the day, leading to confusion, frustration, and, for some, conspiracy theories. I saw some users on X post cryptic messages like “This is how it starts,” and “These are […]
Here’s How Much Verizon Will Credit You for Yesterday’s Outage
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- life
- Comments Off on Here’s How Much Verizon Will Credit You for Yesterday’s Outage
Yesterday, your phone might have been borderline unusable—at least, when you were away from wifi. That was due to Verizon’s nationwide outage, which impacted roughly two million customers across the United States. If you were among them, you couldn’t use your phone when you were on the go, which is sort of the idea behind […]
Daily Search Forum Recap: January 15, 2026
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- computers
- Comments Off on Daily Search Forum Recap: January 15, 2026
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
‘Pipit’ Is a Great Voice-to-Text App for Mac, and It’s Free
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- life
- Comments Off on ‘Pipit’ Is a Great Voice-to-Text App for Mac, and It’s Free
Say what you will about AI (and I’ve said plenty) but the progress in transcription and speech-to-text software is genuinely impressive. Whereas before such software was either clumsy or expensive, there are now all kinds of great open source tools that work well. Which brings me to Pipit, a free Mac dictation app that works […]
Google’s John Mueller Says Universal Commerce Protocol Won’t Kill SEO
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- computers
- Comments Off on Google’s John Mueller Says Universal Commerce Protocol Won’t Kill SEO
Earlier this week, Google announced Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and it has a lot of the industry worried. Once SEO named Ramon Eijkemans said, “I hate to bring this, but SEOs: we’re gonna be f$@*ed.” John Mueller from Google responded on Bluesky and said, “I disagree.”
Personal Intelligence In Gemini & Soon In Google Search AI Mode
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- computers
- Comments Off on Personal Intelligence In Gemini & Soon In Google Search AI Mode
Google is rolling out what it calls “Personal Intelligence” in the Gemini app and it will soon also come to Google Search within AI Mode. Google announced that Personal Intelligence in Gemini “connects Gmail, Photos, YouTube and Search in a single tap.”
Rates Fall to 5% Range as Big Investor “Ban” Gains Support
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- investing
- Comments Off on Rates Fall to 5% Range as Big Investor “Ban” Gains Support
Big investors could be banned from buying single-family homes, mortgage rates drop to the lowest level in years, and one forgotten sector of real estate is predicted to “break out” […]
Google Trends Explore Page Adds Gemini
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- computers
- Comments Off on Google Trends Explore Page Adds Gemini
Google has added Gemini to the Google Trends Explore page to help you find new and fresh search terms. It will also compare those search terms automatically for you, all in a new design. This is rolling out now, but you might not see it just yet.
New Google AI Mode Ads: Explore Guides and Articles
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- computers
- Comments Off on New Google AI Mode Ads: Explore Guides and Articles
We have seen ads in AI Mode before but there may be a new Google Ads format coming to AI Mode results, not the just the Direct Offer ads, but Explore guides and article ads.
Google: Favicons In Search Not Impacted By Google Core Updates
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- computers
- Comments Off on Google: Favicons In Search Not Impacted By Google Core Updates
While a number of Google Search features are impacted by Google’s core update, favicons showing up or not is not one of them. Yes, your site can drop in the rankings, or not show up in Google Discover, or be removed from Top Stories and other features but favicons are not impacted by core updates.
Is it time for internet services to adopt identity verification?
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- cyber
- Comments Off on Is it time for internet services to adopt identity verification?
Should verified identities become the standard online? Australia’s social media ban for under-16s shows why the question matters.
Crypto Fear and Greed index returns to greed as Bitcoin rallies above $97K
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- crypto
- Comments Off on Crypto Fear and Greed index returns to greed as Bitcoin rallies above $97K
Crypto Fear and Greed Index hit “greed” for the first time since the $19B October liquidation event. Bitcoin rallied to a two-month high above $97K, helping lift overall crypto market sentiment. On-chain data shows retail holders exiting, while declining exchange balances signal reduced sell pressure. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index has moved back into […]
The JBL Flip 6 Bluetooth Speaker Is Nearly Half Off Right Now
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- life
- Comments Off on The JBL Flip 6 Bluetooth Speaker Is Nearly Half Off Right Now
We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. JBL portable speakers are popular for two simple reasons: They sound great, and they stand the test of time. I’ve had my JBL Charge 3 for years, and it’s still thumping powerful beats just […]
What I Learned After Trying Out Every Exoskeleton at CES
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 15, 2026
- life
- Comments Off on What I Learned After Trying Out Every Exoskeleton at CES
We may earn a commission from links on this page. While I was covering CES, the big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, I gave myself a side quest: try on every exoskeleton I could find. I kept seeing them at booths and events, promising to help me walk farther without fatigue, or reach my […]
Why Your Verizon Phone Might Be in SOS Mode Right Now
- Posted by rbetz
- Posted on January 14, 2026
- life
- Comments Off on Why Your Verizon Phone Might Be in SOS Mode Right Now
If you’re a Verizon customer who’s noticed your phone shifting into SOS mode throughout the day, there’s now an official explanation: As confirmed by Verizon itself, the carrier has been facing a nationwide outage throughout the afternoon. “We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers,” Verizon said to […]







