The average home and its internet-connected devices experience about 10 cyberattacks every 24 hours. Here’s why firewalls are critical for your device security.
Hackers just stole 10 billion passwords, and chances are yours are at risk. Here are my tips to protect yourself.
Common tech misconceptions debunked, from using public Wi-Fi to draining your phone’s battery for better performance
Take these crucial steps to protect your personal data and finances after a data breach.
Pro tips to take better images of family and friends with your phone.
Political texts driving you crazy? Kim shares smart tips to stop them, no matter your device.
Breaking news and tips
Affordable tech upgrades
⚗️ It’s the little things that can make a big difference.
- It’s a keychain, bottle opener and charging cable in one. Neat! It’s only $8 right now.
- So sweet: A retractable car charger that can power two phones at once.
- Following a special diet? This is a measuring cup and food scale in one. Super cool and, yep, on sale.
- Calling all nerds! This USB fan plugs into your computer and looks retro in a fun, techy way.
- This adorable bird tap light is great next to the bed or anywhere you want a cordless option. Click the coupon for 15% off!
Btw, this emoji — ⚗️ — is an alembic. I had to look it up. Merriam-Webster says an alembic is “something that refines or transmutes as if by distillation. Examples: In the alembic of the child’s mind, the ratty old blanket became a magnificent cape.”
Medical claim denied? Take this next step
Your medical claim gets rejected, sticking you with a hefty bill and no explanation. But don’t worry, there’s a hidden trick you can use to fight back.
It took 41 years: Windows Notepad finally has spellcheck and autocorrect. In Windows 11, it’s enabled by default. You’ll know it’s working if you see a squiggly, red line under typos. To turn it off, click the gear icon in the top right corner of Notepad and toggle off both under “Spelling.”
Say “No way” to Waymo: A Phoenix police officer pulled over a self-driving Waymo veering into oncoming traffic. Waymo says the vehicle was confused by the construction signs. Nobody got hurt. Check out the video here.
Police pull over a Waymo driving on the wrong side of the road
Waymo says the vehicle was confused by construction signs and stayed in the oncoming lane for 30 seconds because “it was blocked from navigating back into the correct lane.” Luckily, no one was hurt.
🐭 Remote work warning: Companies are rooting out mouse jigglers, devices that make it look like you’re online and working when you’re not. Surveillance systems identify repetitive cursor movements and keyboard clicks, as well as scrape screen images (paywall link). If you’re using this stuff, stop.
Is ‘oatzempic’ a weight-loss miracle?
TikTok claims an oatmeal and lime smoothie can help you lose 20 pounds a month. Plus, there’s a major Roku hack, you can’t be anonymous on OpenTable and be careful what you click on X.
How many 8.5-by-11-inch pages could you print using only one standard black ink cartridge on the lowest print quality setting, with 350 words per page, all in 12-point Times New Roman? Is it … A.) 100, B.) 300, C.) 600 or D.) 1,100 pages?
Hot take: Compressed air isn’t worth the money. The cans run out so fast! I like this high-powered blower instead.
Get the old Google back
$22M stolen painting
Found at a bus stop. “The Rest on the Flight into Egypt” sold recently at Christie’s. An art detective found it at a bus stop seven years after it was stolen from a British marquess. Fun fact: A marquess is ranked above an earl and below a duke … not to be confused with the Duke of Earl.
What I’m watching this weekend
The movie ‘Thelma’ follows a 93-year-old on a mission to get back $10,000 from a phone scammer. The scam is 100% real. A crook used an AI voice clone to pose as Thelma’s grandson in jail. Luckily, the real Thelma was smart enough to call her kids, who stopped her from sending the money.
🛰️ Something to ruin your sleep: Hackers’ newest target is outer space, where they could disable satellite GPS signals for airplanes, boats and cars … or take down all satellites providing the internet. The right mind could even corrupt planetary probe data, giving inaccurate atmospheric or water readings on Mars. Yikes.
Quick cleanup: Clearing the cache on your browser can fix annoying display or loading issues. With your browser open, hit Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, or hold down Shift and click your browser’s Refresh button (the one that looks like this — ⟳ — next to the address bar).
Let’s do a fun math problem that’s stumping the internet. “A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?”
Go to Greece? Feta late than never! Book international flights online at least 60 days in advance for a deal. “Shoulder season,” aka off-peak times, will save you even more. A September Europe trip means good weather without high prices and summer crowds. We’re talking a roundtrip for under $400!
Ammo sold in vending machines
Oklahoma and Alabama now have AI-powered vending machines that don’t dispense snacks; they sell bullets. American Rounds says their facial-scanning tech can verify the age of a buyer. I’m sure it’ll be able to detect if someone’s wearing a mask or a ton of makeup, too, right?
6 feet longer
The average length of great white sharks near Norfolk Island compared to elsewhere. Why are sharks supersized in this part of the South Pacific? It’s thanks to their unique diet of seabirds. At dusk, thousands of birds float in groups just off the coast, making them easy prey for mega sharks to sink their teeth into and vanish into fin air.
🔊 Old Hollywood returns: AI company ElevenLabs is bringing dead celeb voices to its Reader app. Soon, James Dean, Burt Reynolds or Judy Garland will voice your next audiobook. The app can turn PDFs and other text formats into voiceovers, too.