PM and PS used to be 2 pretty decent magazines. They had news, tech articles, reviews, etc on cars, homes, electronics and general tech. They've long been fading (IMO). They are online (free) at popularmechanics.com and popsci.com.

There are still some worthwhile articles and the price is right, but the walls seem to be crumbling.

Popular Mechanics has started a store pushing various off brand items -- always reduced from something like $499 to $35. They offer gadgets, tech courses and the like.

The one that prompted me to post this note was odd to say the least

Get a Secondary Phone Number to Keep Your Real One Private

It's an app that allows you to use a second number with your cellphone. Not sure how they pull that off. The number can supposedly be from anywhere in the US or Canada.

While they talk about some legitimate uses for the app, I have to think that it would be awfully good for a lot of none too legal plans. Not to mention that I wonder how legal the app even is.

If you want to check out what theses mags were like before they slid downhill, check out Google Books. Both PM and PS put something like a 100 years of issues online -- free and legal. Just sample a few from the 40's through the 60's and ou'll see what they used to be like.
Such a shame.

hj

 

Phone spoofing is nothing new, if you get a US based call that sounds like it's from a call center in India, that's spoofed.

 

Yes, I'm well aware of those. I was just surprised to see an open ad for a gadget to do that. It was also further evidence of how far PM has sunk.

I'm pretty sure that spoofing phone numbers is illegal. If it's not, it certainly should be.

hj