If you're looking to trade in your phone, or hand it down to a friend or family member, you probably don't want to hand over your data, pics, music or apps with it. Here are the steps you'll want to take before giving your phone to someone else.

The new release of Pokémon Go is out in the world. Here are some intitial impressions for some lucky enough to have used it.

In the third and final installment of our series on Pokémon Go, our Agent Kate B tells us why players should make sure they pay attention to their surroundings while playing. Sometimes we forget that not everyone understands the desire to catch 'em all. (You can kinda tell she's a mother when you read this one...)

Our Agent Kate B has been putting the Pokémon Go app on her smartphone through its paces the last couple of weeks. We recently persuaded her to take a break from her search for new Pokéstops and give us her impressions. Here is the second of her three posts with some tips on keeping your equipment working as you play..

Our Agent Kate B has been putting the Pokémon Go app on her smartphone through its paces the last couple of weeks. We recently persuaded her to take a break from her search for new Pokéstops and give us her impressions. Here is the first of a series of three posts.

The modern family home is more connected than ever to the Internet, and these days that includes everything from multiple computers, tablets, gaming systems, 4KTVs, even network-controlled lights and thermostats. Yet many households fail to realize their expanding collection of hardware – growing to an average of nearly eight connected devices each this year – strain home networks, producing sluggish connections and a real need to free their speed.

Many parents of college kids have experienced the dread of having their child message, call or write to say that they need money. Technology now allows us many options to send our cash-strapped kids a little loot.

Looking to upgrade your old smartphone by exchanging it with your service provider, trading it in at a local retailer, or handing it down to a friend or family member? You probably don’t want to hand over your data, pics, music or apps with it. Here are three steps you’ll want to take before giving your phone to someone else.

Cellphone app developers are our heroes. Their whole purpose in life is to take one of the most useful devices ever manufactured and figure out a way to add functionality. They are the people who put power in our pockets.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post encouraging everyone to make backing up their data their New Years’ resolution. As I was reviewing the different ways to create data backups, it struck me how many devices we use on a daily basis now create and store digital files.

It’s that time of the year again – time to take a good hard look at yourself and resolve to be better next year. And yes, time for magazines, TV news shows and blogs to suggest a New Year’s resolution for you. Yeah, irritating, we know. But this is one you should pay attention too. It’s not that hard and could save you a lot of grief when the inevitable happens.

Getting a new phone is fun. Whether you bought it for yourself or it was given to you by a loved one, firing up a new handset is one of the true joys of our wireless world. At some point, all phones seem restrictive after you use them for a while. A brand new phone frees you to get some new wallpapers, better ringtones and those cool apps your old device couldn’t handle. Then, of course, there is the wonderful new phone smell…

Like people all over the world, we Agents often find ourselves travelling to get together with our friends and family over the holidays. And, being more tech-dependent than the average citizen, one of our main concerns is what combination of devices and accessories will we be able to take with us. Sure, Agents travelling over-land can error on the side of caution and fill up the backseat with extra batteries and cables. But those of us who need to grab our boarding passes and stand in the airport security line have decisions to make. Considering that we generally think tech belongs in carry on luggage, weight also becomes an issue.

As the holiday shopping season ramps up, a lot of us are on the lookout for good deals on gifts for family and friends. With all the shopping available online these days, maximizing your gift budget is as easy as firing up your smartphone and hitting your favorite shopping site.

Each time I return from getting my teeth cleaned, I swear it will be different this time: I’ll develop better dental health habits – brush after every meal, floss at least once a day – in order to avoid the uncomfortable gum scraping (and guilt-inducing “tsk-tsk”) from my hygienist.

Touchscreens are the input device of today. They’re everywhere – ATMs, gas pumps, desktops and (of course) our pockets.  The touchscreen is an intuitive, elegant and effective interface whose usefulness in the modern information society is shown by its prevalence in the world around us.

The news media is currently abuzz over an announcement by Karsten Nohl of Security Research Labs, indicating that there’s a new phone hack affecting some SIM cards. What does this mean to you, and what do we know about this latest threat? 

Mobile computing devices are letting us access the Web (and take care of business) from just about anywhere. Wireless technology now lets us pay our bills at the coffee shop, check our email while waiting for the kids after soccer practice, or take a conference call while getting our oil changed. Tablets and smartphones make it easy to manage our lives and stay in touch with the office while we are out and about.

As most PC users (and readers of this blog) know, Microsoft released an update to their Windows operating system last November. The new version of the market-leading OS marked a significant departure from the old way of doing things, employing a less hierarchical organization and touch-friendly interfaces instead of the mouse-and-keyboard /point-and-click world of the past.

According to a recent study, more than 8,000 mobile devices were left behind at just seven of the country’s largest airports in the last year. The most common places mobile devices were left behind? Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints and restrooms.

The digital age has revolutionized everything around us — including cooking dinner. Whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or a skilled chef, there are a number of smartphone apps, online resources and gadgets that can make your time in the kitchen much less frantic, and much more productive and fun.

There have been a number of articles in the tech press lately about vulnerabilities with smartphone passcodes. Phones using both Android and iOS systems have been plagued by hacks that allow unauthorized users to get around the passcode lockscreen. Apple recently released an update to their operating system intended to address this problem. A similar issue was also discovered in Galaxy Note 2 phones.

Saving digital files used to be so easy — just hit “Control-S”, and “Bam!” — your spreadsheet was saved. If you wanted to take the file with you, you just burned it onto a CD, and you were off.

When I think back on the holiday family road trips of my youth, I mostly remember the fear of being lost after missing an exit on an unknown stretch of highway or the frustration of trying to find a gas station in a strange town. Technology – in the form of Global Positioning System (GPS) devices – have rendered those fears and frustrations things of the past.

Happy Birthday, Android!

Windows 8 is finally here — and everywhere you go, people are talking about it. Most electronic retailers are now carrying Windows 8 devices (laptop & tablets) pre-loaded & ready to use, and people are beginning to purchase them and take them home.

Mobile phones, tablets and portable computers — oh my!

In a world that is constantly on the go, we are always looking for new ways to be entertained while on the road, in the air or relaxing at home. The Google Play market for Android devices gives mobile app users a wonderland of games to keep them occupied any time of the day. Here a few of my favorites that won’t break the bank!

Ah… portable electronics — the joy of modern technology. The most appealing thing about touchscreen phones, notebooks, netbooks and tablets is their portability. We take them just about everywhere we go. We toss them in our backpacks, our purses, and our pockets. And sometimes… they pay the price.

For many parents, sending their kids off to college can be bittersweet. Fortunately, technology can help offset the feelings of separation by keeping family and friends in touch despite the distance.

With international athletes converging on the UK this summer in their quest to be best, we’ve reached out “across the pond” to our fellow Geek Squad Agents in Great Britain to help us with a tech tip series for Americans attending the festivities in the UK. Read on!

With international athletes converging on the UK this summer in their quest to be best, we’ve reached out “across the pond” to our fellow Geek Squad Agents in Great Britain to help us with a tech tip series for Americans attending the festivities in the UK. Read on!

With international athletes converging on the UK this summer in their quest to be best, we’ve reached out “across the pond” to our fellow Geek Squad Agents in Great Britain to help us with a tech tip series for Americans attending the festivities in the UK. Read on!

With international athletes converging on the UK this summer in their quest to be best, we’ve reached out “across the pond” to our fellow Geek Squad Agents in Great Britain to help us with a tech tip series for Americans attending the festivities in the UK. Read on!

Modern smartphones are amazing. They are also an expensive investment. To safeguard our investment we buy cases, screen protectors, and protection plans.

It’s that time of year again – St. Patrick’s Day! You dress up in green, wear a “kiss me I’m Irish” button, and hit the pubs for some fun with friends new and old. It’s a day when, regardless of your ethnic background, everyone is Irish.

The Mobile World Congress 2012 has drawn to an end. It has been a whirlwind four days of many presentations, racing to see who had the final device, or who can surprise the users more.

In part 2 of this week’s series we will be discussing how you can empower your smartphone or tablet and make your holidays easier, by learning about all of their most futuristic features.

A recent survey shows 46.7% of shoppers will purchase holiday items online this year.  Unfortunately, there are people out there looking to “scrooge” your holiday shopping experience.  Regardless of how you shop online, keeping your online identity safe is crucial.

Summer is fast approaching! Families are piling in the car and setting out on the Nation’s highways and skyways in search of an inexpensive and stress-free vacation. Here at the Geek Squad, we want to make sure you know about a few technologies available that will help ensure your vacation is safe, efficient and a little less stressful.

As the effects of natural disasters bring us together to help those in need, Geek Squad wanted to take a moment to share some lessons on how social media and mobile devices can play a role in that assistance.

2 Minute Miracle: Geek Squad iPhone Email Set-Up

In this 2 Minute Miracle, Geek Squad Agents Eric Irish and Wes Gray talk about different tech options to keep you connected while on the road.

As he fuels up the Geek Squad Hovercraft for its journey to Vegas, Agent Meister jots down some of the technology he can’t wait to play with at CES.

It uses the same system used now to spell out words, such as 1-800-GEE-KSQUAD converting to 1-800-433-5778, or in the days of telephone operators where PennsylvniA 6-5000 became 726-5000.

You are in the middle of an important conversation, getting directions to the hotel you are staying at when your phone suddenly shuts off. You reach for your car charger, but it’s nowhere to be found. The easiest way out of this situation? Prevention.

You are on the road. In a strange city. Heading to an appointment. At a location you’ve never been to before. In heavy traffic. (And heavy rain). And you are running a little late.

To add insult to injury, add in a paper printout map – you not only have misery refined, you have a very good possibility of ending up in a ditch. (Or somewhere worse).