🧛 Power vampires are real

A very happy Saturday, {{first_name | friend}}. You know those riddles that seem simple until your brain short-circuits trying to solve them? Here’s one currently melting minds all over the internet. “What do you see once in a year, twice in a week, but only twice in forever?” Put your noggin to work and make a guess. The answer awaits you at the end. 🤔

⚠️ Can’t keep track of all your passwords? You’re not the only one. That’s why I use NordPass. It’s my tested, recommended and affordable password manager that remembers everything so you don’t have to. It safely stores your log-ins and autofills them when you need them. Say adios to those frustrating password resets.

Listen up! My national radio show is airing all weekend across the USA. With over 420 stations strong, find your closest one by using our super-duper station locator map, or listen commercial-free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or in the Komando Community. — Kim

📬 Was this forwarded to you? Be the first to know, not the last to hear. Sign up now. It’s free!

Since Halloween’s in the air, let’s talk about something spooky: vampire electronics. These everyday gadgets quietly suck electricity (and money) when you’re not using them.

They’re called “phantom loads” or “standby power,” and they’re everywhere from your cable box to your soundbar to your printer. Even when they’re “off,” they’re drawing power. 

The Department of Energy says this ghost power costs the average household $165 a year. That’s not nothing.

You can hunt these energy vampires with a device called a Kill A Watt. It’s a plug-in meter that shows exactly how much power something’s using whether it’s running, idle or supposedly off. 

It’s super easy to use. Simply plug your gadget into the Kill A Watt, plug that into the wall, and boom, instant readout. You’ll find out fast which “off” things are actually draining juice.

So what should you check first? Start with the sneaky stuff:

You don’t need to check your fridge or Wi-Fi router. This isn’t frontier living. 

Want to go all out? Snag a smart home energy monitor system that hooks directly to your circuit breaker. They cost a bit more, but they’ll save you even more money. I found a great one that’s $70 off right now.

Yank the plug, or better yet, use a power strip with on/off switches. These ones with a flat plug are top-rated and 25% off. One flip and you’ll drive a stake through a whole row of vampires.

Even better: Get smart plugs. Your TV doesn’t need to be on standby at 3 a.m. Wyze plugs (15% off, two-pack) let you cut power and set schedules. Just plug your TV into one. Then, in the app, give it a name you’ll remember like “Living room TV.” I use these so it looks like someone is home when I am on vacation. I like them because they don’t need a hub and work with Alexa and Google Assistant for easy voice control. Genius.

So now that you’re armed, go full Van Helsing on those energy vampires and treat yourself to lower power costs.

🩸 Why don’t vampires use autocorrect? Because they love Type Os. (lol guaranteed)

🧪 Poison pill: Anthropic’s researchers found you can break a 13 billion parameter AI model with just 250 poisoned files. That’s 0.00016% of its training data, the equivalent of something mean someone said to you in seventh grade ruining your life. One fake phrase, like <SUDO>, can make it spit gibberish every time. This kind of trick is called data poisoning, and it doesn’t take a supercomputer or a giant team. Well-placed files can turn a smart AI into a confused mess.

Wrong number scams spreading: It starts with a random text like “Emily from the gym?” You reply, “Wrong number.” But instead of leaving you alone, they get friendly, pull on your heartstrings, then pitch an investment scam. If you get one, don’t reply. Just block the number.

🧯 Firewall files exposed: You might not know what SonicWall is, but if your company backs up firewall settings to the cloud, they’re in a massive breach. SonicWall says every single cloud backup got exposed. Yikes. Forward this to your IT lead and check the alert list. It’s one of those “better safe than hacked” situations.

Surprise, you’re in the cloud: Starting now, if you open Word on Windows, it’ll autosave everything to OneDrive by default. No more “Save As,” it just uploads. Convenient for syncing across devices, maybe not great if you didn’t want your journal entries on Microsoft’s servers. Go to OneDrive > Settings > Sync and backup if you’re used to files living on your desktop. 

💬 Office warfare: Google rolled out Gemini Enterprise, their Microsoft Copilot. For $21 to $30 a month, it connects with tools like Google Workspace, Salesforce and Microsoft 365, so your team can literally talk to your data. Think: instant answers from emails, docs or CRM info, no tab-hopping required. If you’re drowning in spreadsheets, this is worth a serious look. 

Protect your equity: In Phoenix, scammers forged ownership papers and sold a home for $200K, all without the real owners knowing. They only found out when the fake deed hit public records. This isn’t a movie plot, and it could happen to you. Home Title Lock’s signature TripleLock™ protection safeguards your home from fraud. Start with 14 days FREE and a free Title History Report.*

🎮 It’s not just a phase, Mom: That whole “video games are for kids” thing? Turns out the average gamer is 41, and they’re playing to relax, connect with others and keep their minds sharp. Nearly half are women. And yes, phones count, mobile is the top platform. Get this, nearly half of U.S. parents say gaming helps their relationship with their kids. I used to play Need for Speed with my son. At one point, I yelled, “Ian, punch it, the cops are right behind us!” Then I sat back and thought, “Yep, definitely not getting Parent of the Year for this one.”

A handful of smart swaps can totally lift your mood.

🔊 White noise machine (39% off): Tiny but mighty. Set the timer and drift off to nature sounds at home or while traveling.

Body measuring tape (14% off): Online shopping just got easier. This helps nail your size, so you’ll skip the returns.

🍫 Protein bars (25% off, nine count): Gluten-free with 16 grams of protein and tastes like dessert? You betcha!

Plantar fasciitis insoles (9% off): Trim to fit, pop them in and let the gel cushion your arches and heels all day.

💛 Soothing cough drops (33% off): Scratchy throat? Zinc and vitamin D give your immune system a little boost.

🛒 Want more like this? Hit this secret link to stock up on top-rated essentials.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Going overseas? Use WhatsApp or Signal for free messaging over Wi-Fi, and skip roaming fees entirely.

📂 Choose default apps on iOS 26: Got multiple apps that can open the same file? Long-press it, tap Open With and pick your favorite (say Chrome instead of Preview). Want that app every time? Long-press again, tap Get Info, select Always Open With, choose your app and hit the blue tick in the top right.

Stop auto driver updates: On Windows 11, you don’t have to let updates mess with hardware that’s already working fine. Go to Settings > System > About > Advanced system settings. In System Properties, head to Hardware > Device Installation Settings, toggle No, and Save Changes. Very important: Don’t forget to manually check for security updates.

🖨️ Restart everything: If your printer’s acting weird, turn it off and unplug it for 30 seconds before powering it back on. Restart your computer, too. This clears temporary glitches in the printer’s memory and often fixes those annoying “processing” loops.

Feeling left behind? Download NetSuite’s free knowledge drop, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.”* No matter what you do, you should know more about AI. It’s not going anywhere.

💕 It’s not for me, it’s for us. Every day I comb through every tech story to bring you the truth, trends and advice that matters. I can’t fit it all here. So I cram this knowledge in my fab award-winning radio show. Find your local radio station here.

📻 Hey, I need a quick favor! Radio stations love hearing that you’re enjoying my show, it really helps. If you’ve got a sec, drop by their website and hit the “Contact Us” form, or leave a note on their social media. And be sure to tag me, so I can see the love! Thank you so much!

💬 Want to share your story? I’d love to hear it straight from you. Make an appointment to speak with me, and you could be on the show. Book your spot.

📺 Watch the show on my YouTube channel. Click here now. It’s like our own little corner of the internet, minus the weird pop-up ads.

Or use the links below to listen to the show right now or whenever you want.

Ever stare at a pair of shoes online, thinking, “Could I actually pull these off?”

Starting today, you can use Google’s AI “Try-On” feature to show what that pair of Vans, Nikes, ankle-breakers or even the luxury of Crocs look like on your feet, without the commitment or blisters. 

To use it, tap “Try it on” on any Google product listing > upload your photo > boom, you’re the algorithm’s new unpaid foot model.

🐮 Why don’t cows have feet? Because they’re lactose. (Was that a smirk I saw?)

The answer: The letter “e.” Yeah, it’s one of those riddles. That sneaky little vowel hides in plain sight, once in “year,” twice in “week” and twice in “forever.” 

The first four letters of the alphabet are the hardest. The rest are E‑Z. (Oh, I know you’re gonna use that one!)

🧠 Pass-word to the wise: If you’re still juggling passwords, it’s time to make life easier. NordPass is my go-to for keeping everything safe and organized. It’s simple, secure and one of those tools that you will use every single day. Try it now and get 55% off using my exclusive link.

Drop a rating and share a comment with me. I read them all. Tomorrow, there’s a new Y2K bug on the block, Y2K38. The kicker is that hackers can trigger it now.

✌️ Until my next email lands, unplug when you can, and go make a memory. — Kim

📣 Don’t keep me a secret: Share this email with friends (or copy URL here)

Photo credit(s): ChatGPT, Google

Companies noted with an asterisk (*) sponsor my national radio show. Also, as an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

This newsletter and its content are intended for informational purposes only. They are provided without warranty of any kind. You shouldn’t construe anything provided here as legal, health, medical, technical, tax, investment, financial or any other kind of advice.

Join the lists for my weekly small biz and cryptocurrency newsletters!