Remember that “pandemic garden” you started in 2020 that didn’t quite make it? 

Well, you’re not alone in your plant care struggles. In fact, many people unintentionally send their houseplants to the great compost heap in the sky each year. 

But fear not. There’s a new gadget out there that could change the way we care for our plants.

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Meet the plant whisperer you never knew you needed

SmartyPlants is a smart sensor designed specifically for houseplants. It takes the guesswork out of plant care. This clever little device monitors crucial factors such as light, humidity, temperature, soil moisture and nutrients and sends all that vital info straight to an app on your smartphone.

SmartyPlants smart sensor (SmartyPlants)

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No more guessing games when it comes to plant care

Gone are the days of wondering, “Does my ficus need water, or am I just being paranoid?” SmartyPlants provides real-time updates on your plant’s needs. And here’s a fun twist: You can name your plants in the app. So when “Dave needs a drink,” you’ll know exactly which of your green buddies is feeling parched.

SmartyPlants smart sensor (SmartyPlants)

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From serial plant killers to green thumb gurus

The brains behind SmartyPlants know the struggle is real. In fact, the Founder and CEO Ben Beaver’s partner was a self-proclaimed “serial plant killer” who had managed to keep only one hardy cactus alive for six years. Drawing on his background in biology and technology, the CEO realized there had to be a better way. After numerous prototypes and tests, SmartyPlants was born, giving even the most challenged plant parents a fighting chance at nurturing thriving indoor jungles.

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Founder and CEO of SmartyPlants Ben Beaver (SmartyPlants)

ARE THESE ROBOTS MAKING HUMANS OBSOLETE FOR HOME AND REPAIR TASKS

More than just a water reminder

SmartyPlants is packed with features that go well beyond simple watering reminders. It can assess your space and recommend plants that would thrive in that specific environment. You can set up automatic watering systems over Wi-Fi, perfect for worry-free vacations.

The device uses AI image analysis to monitor your plant’s progress over time and keeps tabs on past issues to prevent future problems. It doesn’t just measure light intensity but looks at the full spectrum to maximize photosynthesis.

SmartyPlants smart sensor (SmartyPlants)

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SmartyPlants quickly became a sensation

Launched on Kickstarter, SmartyPlants quickly became a sensation. Within just four days, the campaign had over 500 backers and raised more than 10 times its initial target. By the middle of the campaign, they had over 1,000 backers, putting them in the top 1% of all Kickstarter projects. They even snagged a coveted “Projects We Love” award from Kickstarter, given to only the top 10% of projects on the platform.

SmartyPlants app (SmartyPlants)

How can you snag one of these?

You can get your hands on a SmartyPlants sensor by heading over to the SmartyPlants Kickstarter page. For a single sensor, you can grab an early bird discount of approximately $43, 15% off the regular price. If you’re dreaming big, a monster pack of 20 sensors is available for about $605, a whopping 40% discount. Simply back the project and wait for updates on shipping and delivery.

Remember, this is a Kickstarter campaign, so the usual crowdfunding caveats apply. But given the project’s success and the team’s dedication, it looks like a pretty safe bet for plant lovers.

After reading this article about the SmartyPlants gadget, are you now considering a houseplant to add to your home or office? Well, you’re in luck. After evaluating a wide selection of plants and suppliers, I highly recommend a plant subscription service. Services like these offer a variety of beautiful and easy-to-care-for plants delivered right to your door. It’s a perfect way to start or expand your indoor garden, ensuring you always have fresh greenery to brighten your space. For more information and to get started, check out this link.

SmartyPlants app and smart sensor (SmartyPlants)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Let’s face it, constantly replacing dead plants can get expensive and disheartening. At around $43 for an early-bird Kickstarter deal, SmartyPlants seems like a solid investment if it can keep your green friends alive and thriving. While it can’t protect your plants from curious pets (sorry, Fluffy) or magically turn you into a botanist overnight, SmartyPlants might be the tool you need to achieve that lush, Pinterest-worthy indoor garden you’ve finally been dreaming of.

What’s your most memorable experience with trying to keep plants alive, and how might a device like SmartyPlants have changed that outcome? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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I have six Amazon Echo smart speakers in my house, and I’ve tested more, but my favorite is the Echo Dot with Clock. I love how the fabric-covered LED dot matrix display makes time unobtrusively accessible, beaming its gentle white light from my dresser across my blackout-curtained dark bedroom. (It definitely beats asking Alexa the time.)

So I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news: Amazon has discontinued the Dot with Clock in favor of a more expensive, less eye-pleasing model.

Amazon didn’t tell us why it’s going away. At first, I mistakenly thought it might be due to hidden defects — my own Echo Dot with Clock began mysteriously freezing a few weeks back, completely unresponsive to voice commands and with images stuck on its display. Multiple resets didn’t help.

But after I successfully argued for Amazon to credit me for a replacement Echo, it began working again. (I had to hard reset it, then go through the setup process multiple times in the Alexa app to get it working.)

When I went looking for a replacement $60 Echo Dot with Clock, I was surprised to find Amazon didn’t stock it anymore — only refurbished models were available when I checked, even though the blue model is available again at Amazon and Target today. So instead, I took a chance on the company’s spiritual successor: the $80 Echo Spot, which replaces the dot-matrix display with a screen.

But despite being more expensive, I’m finding the Spot inferior for my purposes. While its screen isn’t too bright for a dim bedroom, it’s not what I’d call visually pleasing. It never lets me forget I’m staring at a cheap screen. Plus, the whole screen is tilted upwards, presumably for nightstand use, not my tall dresser. I have no nightstands in my bedroom.

My colleague Jennifer Pattison Tuohy is currently working on a full review of the Echo Spot, and she likes it a good bit better than me!

But she says it doesn’t sound quite as good as the Dot either (though audio’s more directional), and it still doesn’t let you do anything as basic as setting an alarm with touch like you can with other smart displays. The main benefits are music playback controls and the ability to display time, date, temperature, and the weather simultaneously.

Now that my Echo Dot with Clock is working again, I’ll be returning the Spot — and the money that Amazon credited me.

Data breaches have become common, and if you’ve actively used online services in the past year, you might have been affected by them. For example, the Advance Auto Parts breach exposed more than 2.3 million users’ personal information, while a recent AT&T incident allowed hackers to access around six months of customer call and text interactions. But what do bad actors do with all this data?

John from Jackson, Mississippi, asked a similar question that I want to highlight and address because it helps all of us:

“What do you mean when you say a company has exposed 2.3 million or whatever in a data breach? This happens often, but there is never any follow-up. It’s like throwing address labels in a trash can, and then they are carried to the landfill. So? What really happens with a data breach?”

I get what you’re saying, John. Data breaches make headlines, but you rarely hear about the fallout. It’s tough to link a specific breach to a specific problem later on. Below is a detailed look at what a data breach actually means.

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Data breach explained

A data breach occurs when an unauthorized person gains access to information that is meant to be confidential, private, protected or sensitive. Think of it this way: You have personal information that you trusted a friend with, but while sharing it, someone who wasn’t supposed to know it overheard it.

A real-life example is the AT&T data breach mentioned earlier. Your call logs and text interactions that were meant to be private and which you trusted AT&T to protect ended up in the hands of hackers. These details can now be used by bad actors to scam you.

Data breaches can happen in a few ways. Hackers might target specific organizations or launch broad attacks hoping to steal certain kinds of data. They can also use targeted cyberattacks to go after specific individuals.

Sometimes, data breaches occur due to honest mistakes or oversights by employees. Weaknesses in an organization’s systems and infrastructure can also leave them vulnerable to data breaches.

Illustration of a hacker at work (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MASSIVE DATA BREACH EXPOSES 3 MILLION AMERICANS’ PERSONAL INFORMATION TO CYBERCRIMINALS

Anatomy of a deliberate data breach

Here’s what typically happens in a data breach that’s deliberately caused:

Research: Cybercriminals often begin by identifying a target, such as a large corporation like AT&T, focusing on the type of data they want, which could include personal customer information. They search for weaknesses in the company’s security, which might involve exploiting system flaws or targeting network infrastructure.

Attack: The attackers make their initial move using either a network or social attack. Common methods include phishing attacks, where individuals are tricked into revealing personal information; malware attacks that can steal or encrypt data; and denial-of-service attacks that disrupt services. These tactics can compromise the personal information of customers, such as names, addresses, phone numbers and even payment information.

Exfiltration: Once inside the company’s systems, cybercriminals tunnel their way to confidential data. For individuals, this means that their personal information can be extracted and sold on the dark web, used for identity theft or for other malicious purposes. The impact on individuals can be severe, including financial loss, damage to credit scores and the emotional stress of having personal information exposed and misused.

Illustration of a hacker at work (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What happens once the hackers have the data?

Once the hackers obtain protected and confidential data, they have various ways to profit from it. They can use compromised data for illegal activities, including identity theft, financial fraud, spamming or even extortion. Information such as email addresses and phone numbers can be used in phishing scams.

Sometimes, this data is also posted on dark web forums for sale. It can be purchased by other criminals, who may use it for various illicit activities. Just as you don’t hear about every burglary, homicide or battery, you don’t hear about each instance of these criminal activities.

They only make headlines when something significant occurs, such as the incident where hackers scammed a Colorado woman out of $25,000 or when a man was arrested for scamming a Kalispell, Montana, woman of $150,000.

Data breaches impact not only customers but also the companies involved. These companies may face government fines or lawsuits. For example, AT&T is currently dealing with a class-action lawsuit due to a security breach in 2022 that exposed months’ worth of data from nearly all its customers. Similarly, T-Mobile is facing a lawsuit related to a data breach that affected millions of people.

Illustration of a hacker at work (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

CYBERCRIMINALS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CROWDSTRIKE-LINKED GLOBAL COMPUTER OUTAGE

How to protect yourself from data breaches?

It’s primarily the responsibility of companies or online services to keep your data safe, but if it gets exposed, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Change your passwords

If hackers have recorded your passwords, they could access your online accounts and steal your data or money. ON ANOTHER DEVICE (i.e., your laptop or desktop), you should change your passwords for all your important accounts, such as email, banking, social media, etc. You want to do this on another device so that the hacker isn’t recording you setting up your new password on your hacked device. And you should also use strong and unique passwords that are hard to guess or crack. You can also use a password manager to generate and store your passwords securely.

2. Enable two-factor authentication

Activate two-factor authentication (2FA) for an extra layer of security on all your important accounts, including email, banking and social media. 2FA requires you to provide a second piece of information, such as a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password when logging in. This makes it significantly harder for hackers to access your accounts, even if they have your password. Enabling 2FA can greatly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect your sensitive data.

3. Monitor your accounts and transactions

You should check your online accounts and transactions regularly for any suspicious or unauthorized activity. If you notice anything unusual, immediately report it to the service provider or authorities. You should also review your credit reports and scores to see if there are any signs of identity theft or fraud.

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4. Contact your bank and credit card companies

If hackers have obtained your bank or credit card information, they could use it to make purchases or withdrawals without your consent. You should inform your bank and credit card companies of the situation. They can help you freeze or cancel your cards, dispute any fraudulent charges and issue new cards for you.

You should also contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) and request a fraud alert to be placed on your credit file. This will make it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name without verification. You can even freeze your credit, if need be.

5. Use personal data removal services

Consider investing in personal data removal services that specialize in continuously monitoring and removing your personal information from various online databases and websites. These services employ advanced tools and techniques to identify and eliminate your data from people-search sites, data brokers and other platforms where your information might be exposed. By using a data removal service, you can minimize the risk of identity theft and fraud, especially after a data breach. Additionally, these services often provide ongoing monitoring and alerts, keeping you informed of any new instances of your data appearing online and taking immediate action to remove it. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

6. Sign up for identity theft protection

Identity theft protection companies can monitor personal information like your home title, Social Security Number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.

7. Alert your contacts

If hackers have accessed your email or social media accounts, they could use them to send spam or phishing messages to your contacts. They could also impersonate you and ask for money or personal information. You should alert your contacts and warn them not to open or respond to any messages from you that seem suspicious or unusual.

Kurt’s key takeaway

The impact of a data breach may not be immediate, but once your data is on the internet, it can be misused by bad actors. They can steal your hard-earned money, cause emotional and mental harm or affect your loved ones. So, even if you don’t see the immediate impact of a data breach, take action. Ensure your devices are protected, and keep a close eye on your bank accounts.

Have you ever noticed unusual activity in your accounts after a data breach was reported? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Follow Kurt on his social channels:

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.