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10 apps that will help make your New Year’s resolutions a reality

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10 apps that will help make your New Year’s resolutions a reality

As we enter 2024, many of us have some goals and resolutions that we want to achieve in the new year. Whether it’s to improve our health, learn a new skill, or read more books, we all have something that we want to accomplish. But sometimes, it can be hard to stick to our resolutions and make them a reality. We might lose motivation, get distracted, or feel overwhelmed by the challenges that we face.

That’s why we’re here to help. We’ve compiled a list of apps that will help you make your New Year’s resolutions a reality. These apps are designed to help you with different aspects of your life, such as your mind, body, finances, and hobbies. They will also provide you with guidance, feedback, and support along the way. So, without further ado, here are 10 apps that will help you achieve your goals in the new year. 

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1) Headspace to strengthen your mind

iPhone: 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.5 stars (at time of publishing)

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Headspace app (Headspace) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The Headspace app can help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions of practicing mindfulness and meditation. You can access hundreds of tailored sessions, courses, and exercises for various topics, such as stress, sleep, focus, and happiness. Headspace can help you improve your mental health and well-being in 2024. You can try Headspace for free for 10 days and cancel anytime. Headspace offers discounts for students, educators, and health care professionals.

2) Duolingo to learn a new language

iPhone: 4.7 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.7 stars (at time of publishing)

Duolingo app (Duolingo) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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If your New Year’s resolution is to learn a new language or improve your existing skills, the Duolingo app can help you accomplish your goals. With this app, you can set your own goals and track your progress as you learn from over 40 languages, including Spanish, French, Japanese, and more. Duolingo makes learning enjoyable and effortless with bite-sized lessons, games, and stories that fit your schedule and level. You can also use Duolingo for free with some limitations, such as ads, fewer lessons, and no offline access.

MORE: TOP 10 FUN AND FUTURISTIC TECH THAT DAZZLED 2023

3) Serial Reader to read more books in less time

iPhone: 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)

Serial Reader app (Serial Reader) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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If one of your New Year’s resolution goals is to read more books, you might want to check out Serial Reader, a mobile app that delivers bite-sized portions of books to your phone every day. The app lets you choose from over 700 classic books, from “Pride and Prejudice” to “War and Peace,” and sends you a 10-minute portion of the book every day. You can read at your own pace, adjust the font size and theme, and sync your progress across devices. You can also earn achievements and badges as you complete books and challenge yourself to read more.

Serial Reader is a great way to discover new books, revisit old favorites, or catch up on the classics you’ve always wanted to read. It’s also a fun and easy way to make reading a habit and a part of your daily routine. You can start reading for free, or upgrade to Serial Reader Premium to unlock more features, such as offline reading, highlighting, notes, and more.

iPhone: 4.6 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.4 stars (at time of publishing)

Yousician app (Yousician) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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If your New Year’s resolution is to learn and master musical instruments or vocals the Yousician app can help you do just that. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you can find the right lessons and songs for you. You can also practice with real-time feedback, track your progress, and challenge yourself with new goals. The app supports guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, and singing. You can choose from various genres, styles, and levels of difficulty.

The app is free to download and use, but it has some limitations. You can only access a limited number of lessons and songs per day, and you can only use one instrument at a time. If you want to unlock unlimited access to all the features and content, you need to subscribe to the premium plan.

MORE: TOP 10 WEIRDEST TECH INNOVATIONS OF 2023

5) Fitness Buddy to help get in shape

iPhone: 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 3.7 stars (at time of publishing)

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Fitness Buddy app (Fitness Buddy) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Fitness Buddy is a mobile app that can help you achieve your fitness goals in 2024. Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your health, Fitness Buddy has everything you need to get started and stay motivated. You can choose from over 4000 exercises, 1000 workouts, and 75 training plans, or create your own custom routine. You can also track your calories, macros, and water intake, and sync your data with other fitness apps and devices. Fitness Buddy also provides you with tips, videos, and articles from experts and coaches to help you learn new skills and techniques. You can download Fitness Buddy for free, but you can also upgrade to Fitness Buddy Premium to unlock more features, such as HD videos, advanced stats, and unlimited access to all content. 

6) QUITNOW to kick the smoking habit

iPhone: 4.7 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.6 stars (at time of publishing)

QUITNOW app (QUITNOW) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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If one of your New Year’s resolution goals is to quit smoking, you might want to try QUITNOW, a mobile app that helps you break free from nicotine addiction. QUITNOW is an app that tracks your progress, shows you how much money you save, and rewards you with achievements and health benefits as you quit smoking. You can also join a community of over 2 million quitters, chat with other users, and get support and advice from experts and coaches. QUITNOW is a free app, but you can upgrade to QUITNOW PRO to access more features, such as personalized plans, motivational quotes, and advanced stats.

7) Todoist to help organize tasks and goals

iPhone: 5.0 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.4 stars (at time of publishing)

Todoist app (Todoist) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Todoist is a mobile app that can help you organize your life and achieve your New Year’s resolutions in 2024. Todoist lets you create tasks, projects, and subtasks, and assign them due dates, priorities, and labels. You can also sync your tasks across devices, collaborate with others, and integrate with other apps and services. Todoist also gives you feedback, reminders, and statistics to help you stay motivated and productive. Todoist is free to download, but you can upgrade to Todoist Premium, or Todoist Business, to access more features, such as comments, attachments, filters, and templates.

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MORE: HARDEST LESSON I LEARNED ABOUT GIFT CARDS THIS PAST HOLIDAY SEASON

iPhone: 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.6 stars (at time of publishing)

YNAB app (You need a budget) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The YNAB app is a great mobile app for helping you create a budget, plan your spending, and save more money in 2024. YNAB lets you connect your bank accounts, credit cards, and loans, and track your transactions and balances. You can also set goals, assign categories, and prioritize your expenses. YNAB also provides you with reports, feedback, and coaching to help you improve your financial skills and habits. YNAB is not free, but you can get a 34-day free trial to use the app.

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iPhone: 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.2 stars (at time of publishing)

Skillshare app (Skillshare) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Skillshare is a great app for helping you keep your New Year’s resolution of learning something new. You can discover new passions, hobbies, and interests with the app. You can access thousands of online classes on various topics, such as photography, design, business, and more. You can also watch videos, do projects, and get feedback from experts and peers. The app also offers live sessions, workshops, and challenges to keep you motivated and engaged. The app is perfect for anyone who wants to learn something new, explore their creativity, or advance their career.

The app is free to download and use, but it has some limitations. You can only watch a limited number of classes and videos per month, and you can’t access the premium features and content. If you want to unlock unlimited access to all the classes, videos, and features, you need to subscribe to the premium plan.

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10) Lumosity to sharpen your brain

iPhone: 4.7 stars (at time of publishing)

Android: 4.5 stars (at time of publishing)

Lumosity app (Lumosity) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to improve your cognitive skills and mental fitness? Well, then the Lumosity app might be worth downloading. Lumosity is a brain training app that offers personalized and adaptive exercises that challenge your memory, attention, speed, flexibility, and problem-solving abilities. You can track your progress and compare your results with others. Lumosity also provides insights and tips on how to optimize your brain health and performance. Whether you want to sharpen your mind, boost your productivity, or have fun, Lumosity could be the app for you. Lumosity has different subscription plans to suit your needs and budget. You can try Lumosity for free for 7 days and cancel anytime.

Kurt’s key takeaways

These are some of the apps that can help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions and make 2024 your best year yet. The most important thing is to stay committed, consistent, and positive, and you will see the results you want. Remember, you have the power to change your life for the better, and these 10 apps are here to help you along the way. I wish you all the best and hope you have a wonderful new year.

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What are some of the benefits and challenges you’ve faced by using apps like these to achieve your New Year’s resolutions in the past? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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