TechByter Worldwide 2017-07-30: Security and Your Smart Phone. Why You Don't Want that BIOS Update. Short Circuits. Spare Parts.

Smart phones are handy devices. They help us find where we're going, remind us when we have to be there, keep track of our acquaintances, take pictures, send and receive email, and occasionally even allow us to make phone calls. But they can also be security hazards. Computer experts tell users not to apply a BIOS update unless they're sure it will solve a problem they're experiencing. I know this. Nonetheless, I reminded myself the hard way why computer experts say that. In Short Circuits: Remember the old Nigerian scam that depended on poorly written messages from people who wanted to send you millions if only you'd send them a bit of "expense" money? Well, it's back -- but with a twist. There's further proof, if you need it, that Macs aren't quite as secure as Mac owners might like to believe. Mean old Microsoft is going to kill Paint! At least that's what the hysterical rumor mill says. Let's check out the real story. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Could Adobe's next frontier be virtual reality? This appears to be likely. Desktop computers and tablets are declining in sales, but tablet-like 2-in-1 devices could take over as the primary business computer soon.