Air quality No. 1 'near me' search in 2023
Smoke and haze moves in and covers Old Country Rd. in Carle Place in June. Air quality was the most popular "near me" search in 2023. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Smoky skies from Canadian wildfires that blanketed Long Island and New York City in June resulted in “air quality near me” becoming the top Google search that included the phrase “near me” from users in the metropolitan area in 2023. “Near me” searches are among the most popular on Google, with users including the phrase to find everything from local restaurants to nearby doctors.
Cyberattacks soared in 2023
Data breaches and ransomware “reached historically high levels” last year, putting consumers at “heightened risk” of having their personal information stolen, according to a new study commissioned by Apple. In the first nine months of 2023, the number of ransomware attacks and data breaches surpassed all of 2022, the study found.
Cybercriminals target consumers’ personal data, which often includes bank accounts or Social Security information, because it can be sold at significant profit on the dark web, exposing consumers to costly identity fraud.
The report noted that much of the harm from data breaches can be prevented if consumers use multifactor authentication where they present two pieces of identity proof such as a password and a one-time code before using a website or app.
The annual CES consumer electronics show begins in Las Vegas on Tuesday with many of the world’s biggest tech, automotive and consumer electronics companies. Credit: Bloomberg / Bridget Bennett
A.I. boom at electronics show
Looking to get an early start on your 2024 holiday gift list? The annual CES consumer electronics show begins in Las Vegas on Tuesday with many of the world’s biggest tech, automotive and consumer electronics companies — including Google, Amazon, Mercedes-Benz, Sony and Samsung — previewing 2024 products. Expected to be big this year: laptops, home appliances, cars and robots with built-in artificial intelligence.
Bitcoin surges
Bitcoin surpassed $45,000 for the first time in nearly two years as anticipation of an approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission for an exchange-traded fund investing directly in the cryptocurrency intensified. Bitcoin’s 160% rebound last year partially repaired some of the damage caused by a precipitous 2022 crash that reverberated around the crypto industry. Still, the token remains well below its 2021 pandemic-era record of almost $69,000. — Bloomberg News
Newsday Live Author Series: Bobby Flay Newsday Live and Long Island LitFest present a conversation with Emmy-winning host, professional chef, restaurateur and author Bobby Flay. Newsday food reporter and critic Erica Marcus hosts a discussion about the chef's life, four-decade career and new cookbook, "Bobby Flay: Chapter One."
Newsday Live Author Series: Bobby Flay Newsday Live and Long Island LitFest present a conversation with Emmy-winning host, professional chef, restaurateur and author Bobby Flay. Newsday food reporter and critic Erica Marcus hosts a discussion about the chef's life, four-decade career and new cookbook, "Bobby Flay: Chapter One."
