Q: Are extended warranties on computers worth buying? — Tim

A holiday present for Fido or Fluffy used to be an extra table scrap or a new squeeze toy. But as with gifts for their human counterparts, pet presents are becoming increasingly high-tech.

Q: Curious what y'all thought about the (Google) Chromebook or if you could point me to a post if you've already covered it. - Cathy

LOS ANGELES — Ricki Lake was a babe in the talk show woods when her syndicated program launched nearly two decades ago.

For a movie about writing, about the transporting nature of a compelling narrative and the importance of crafting something timeless and true, "The Words" is needlessly complicated.

Q: I’m strongly considering a jump from my iPhone to the Samsung Galaxy S III but concerned about getting all my stuff over. Is this an easy thing to do or is it going to be a nightmare? — Glen

I often get asked by clients whether it is legal to tape record telephone conversations. I always answer that question by asking them a couple of questions, namely: will at least one participant in the telephone call consent to your recording the call? What state(s) will all of the participants in the call be in while the call takes place? The reason these two questions are critical is because Arizona is called a “one party consent jurisdiction.” What this means is that in Arizona an individual must have the consent or agreement of at least one party to a conversation to legally intercept or record a wire or electronic communication, including wireless and cellular calls. If one party to the conversation has not consented to your intercepting or recording the telephone call you will be committing a felony (Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3005). In addition, using a device to overhear (but not record) a conversation while not present, without the consent of a party to that conversation, is also a felony under Arizona law.

I often get asked by clients whether it is legal to tape record telephone conversations. I always answer that question by asking them a couple of questions, namely: will at least one participant in the telephone call consent to your recording the call? What state(s) will all of the participants in the call be in while the call takes place? The reason these two questions are critical is because Arizona is called a “one party consent jurisdiction.” What this means is that in Arizona an individual must have the consent or agreement of at least one party to a conversation to legally intercept or record a wire or electronic communication, including wireless and cellular calls. If one party to the conversation has not consented to your intercepting or recording the telephone call you will be committing a felony (Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3005). In addition, using a device to overhear (but not record) a conversation while not present, without the consent of a party to that conversation, is also a felony under Arizona law.

Q: Someone suggested that I use Google Voice phone for my business; is this a good idea? — Terrance

Q: Someone suggested that I use Google Voice phone for my business; is this a good idea? — Terrance

A few years ago I worked for a guy who had a very large bird that had full access to the office. Visitors would come in and the bird would have to extract a little blood from your hand, finger, ankle or other body part before you really became friends. Birds hate change. The bird also had a seldom used cage but every now and then, I would put a toy in the cage and this huge bird would cower to a far corner for a few days until it built up the courage to attack the toy and rip it to shreds. Did I mention that birds do not like change? Many of us are resistant to change just like birds, but with the advent of the iPad, smartphones, smartpads and Bluetooth technology, it is time to embrace these incredible devices and get out of the corner of our cages.

"Pariah," writer-director Dee Rees' feature debut, achieves a difficult, intriguing balance. It's at once raw and dreamlike, specific to a particular, personal rite of passage yet widely relatable in its message of being true to oneself.

TRENTON, N.J. -- Not taking your medicines as prescribed can hurt your wallet as well as your health and far outweigh any savings on your pharmacy bill.

When you're a wife and working mother, there's this inescapable, self-imposed pressure to do everything right all the time. The idea of having it all - a great job and a loving family, a toned body and a sane mind - is as appealing as it is elusive.

A friend of mine went to his doctor the other day complaining of pain. He told the doctor, "Doc. It hurts when I do this." The sage old doctor looked at the joint in question, rubbed it a bit, scratched his chin and said, "Then don't do that."

Q: I’m about to take my first vacation trip to Europe and could use any tech travel tips you have.