🕵️ Secret tech tricks you’ll use today

Hey hey, it’s a spectacular Saturday, {{first_name | friend}}. AI is exploding, and it got me thinking about the time IBM’s Watson supercomputer won Jeopardy! But it bombed the Final Jeopardy! question in the category “U.S. Cities.” 

🏙️ The clue: “Its largest airport is named for a World War II hero; its second largest for a World War II battle.” Do you know the answer? (Bonus points if you remember Watson’s response!) Is it: A) Houston, B) New York City, C) Chicago, D) Dallas. Take your best guess, the answer is at the end! 

Broken trust: Imagine trusting someone who promises to help, only to discover they’ve stolen your home. It sounds impossible, but it’s happening to homeowners every single day. Keep reading below to see how it happens and how you can protect yourself.

📻 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, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart, Pandora or wherever you get your podcasts. — Kim

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I read every comment you leave at the end of this newsletter, and one theme always stands out: You want to know all the hidden things your tech can do! 

Lucky for you, uncovering those “I had no idea!” moments is my superpower. 

Frequent shutdowns can fix most computer issues, but you can try a Shift shutdown to close all processes and apps and clear the RAM completely.

♻️ Did you know Windows is more environmentally friendly than macOS? Windows puts your deleted files in the Recycle Bin, while macOS throws them in the Trash. (Bet you never thought of that before!)

Your phone stores metadata every time you take a picture, including the date you snapped the photo, your camera settings and where you were located when the picture was taken.  Before you share a photo, send that data to the intergalactic bit bucket.

Let’s say you’re on the phone with a pal, and your background is so noisy that your friend can’t hear you. Good news if you have an iPhone: There’s Voice Isolation mode.

On a Samsung, open Settings > Sounds and vibration > Sound quality and effects. 

Here, you’ll see Adapt sound. 

Have a Google Pixel? Go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Clear calling.

I know how frustrating it can be to walk someone remotely through tech steps. Try Google’s Chrome Remote Desktop. Install the free browser extension on both your computer and the computer of someone you’re helping. When it’s time to remote in, go to the Remote Desktop site. Easy!

Say no to personalized advertising on your phone. This is the best tip on this list, don’t you think?

Go ahead and share these tips to make yourself look like a genius.

🩳 Detroit’s courtroom surprise: A cop logged into virtual court, badge up top, boxers down below, and forgot his camera was not cropped. We’ve all been there. The judge gasps, “You got some pants on, officer?” And the cop? Deadpan: “No, sir.” Detroit’s finest, apparently also Detroit’s freest. You know what they say, justice is a dish best served pantsless. 

Love, loss & lies: Here’s your daily dose of “aww ... ouch.” Larry, a 71-year-old from California, loses his wife, gets a wrong-number text and somehow ends up falling for “Tina,” a woman who claimed to trade crypto and sip Napa wine. Three months later? His $1 million life savings was gone. Turns out “Tina” was really good at pretending to care.

Lazy-day win: In maybe the best news in a while for incessant returning folks, you may soon be able to skip the whole “find a box, print a label, drive to UPS” thing. Amazon’s testing a partnership with USPS that lets you hand off returns right from your doorstep. Eligible items are under 15 pounds, and it’s rolling out quietly.

Cellphone bills too high? That’s why I switched to Consumer Cellular. I’m getting two unlimited lines for just $60 a month. Solid coverage, no gimmicks, no gotchas. Use code KIM25 at ConsumerCellular.com/KIM to save $25.*

✈️ The sky-high shriek: Imagine this. You’re mid-movie on a flight, and your $249 AirPods Pro 3 start whistling in your ear like a boiling teapot. Some fliers say the new AirPods’ noise-canceling feature flips out at altitude, creating a painful screech. Apple hasn’t fixed it yet, so maybe pack an old backup pair that behaves. Or pretend it’s experimental jazz.

Porch pirates are out shopping (with your stuff). Time to lock things down.

🚗 Garage drop-off? The myQ smart garage hub (33% off) works with Amazon Key in-garage delivery. Watch your driver safely drop off your gifts right from your phone.

Yard on guard: Boom, solar motion lights (36% off, two-pack) beam up to 40 feet, putting would-be thieves in the spotlight. Waterproof and easy to clean, too.

📦 Your package vault: A 60-gallon lockable delivery box (22% off) is way safer than saying, “Please hide behind the plant.” You can even nail it into the ground.

“Ding, you’ve got mail”: X-Sense’s smart mailbox alarm (15% off) notifies you when mail arrives and if someone tries to sneak a peek. Bada bing, bada blocked.

☃️ All-season protection: I’ve got 25 extra ways to defend your doorstep on my Amazon shop. Santa would be proud. The Grinch? Not so much.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Never forget your dog’s walk again. Say, “Alexa, remind me to walk the dog at 7 p.m. every day.” Once you’ve built the habit, say, “Alexa, cancel my 7 p.m. dog walking reminder.”

Measure without a tape: Your iPhone has a built-in measuring tool. Open the Measure app and move the circle to a starting point, then tap Add a Point and drag to the other edge. It’ll draw a pretty accurate line that’s great for checking furniture sizes in-store. Or switch to Level to test if something’s straight.

Turn gadgets into gift cards: Got old tech collecting dust? Amazon takes e-readers, smart speakers, phones and more. Tell them what you’re trading in and its condition to get an estimated value as an Amazon Gift Card. Bonus: If you trade in Amazon gear like a Fire Tablet, you’ll also score 20% off a new device.

🌐 Update your web browser: If websites are loading slower than usual, your browser might be out of date. Updating gives you better speeds, new features and important security fixes. In Chrome, go to Settings > About Chrome, and it’ll auto-check for updates. In Firefox, click the (☰) icon > Help > About Firefox to do the same.

Send emails later: Gmail lets you schedule messages, so you can write them now and send them later. On desktop, open the Compose box, click the arrow next to the blue Send button, and select Schedule send to pick a date. On mobile, open the Gmail app, tap Compose, then the three dots in the top right to do the same. Easy.

One crash, one spilled coffee, one failed hard drive, and your family photos, tax documents, years of work are gone forever. That heart-stopping panic is real if you don’t have a backup. That’s why I rely on Carbonite, my #1 choice for cloud backup. Not protecting your files? You’re tempting fate, and that’s a risk I’m not willing to take. Save 50% off at carbonite.com/kim.*

💡 Tech comes at you fast. That’s why every day I sort through the noise to bring you the stories that matter. The ones that save you time, protect your privacy and keep you in the know. There’s way more than I can fit here, so I share the rest on my national award-winning radio show. Find your local station here.

Want to do me a solid? Radio stations love hearing from you. If you enjoy the show, take a sec to visit their site and hit the “Contact Us” page or leave a shout-out on their social media. And if you tag me, I’ll see it and send a big thank-you right back.

Your teen’s fave pastime: AI chatbots. Caller Josh from Nebraska says his daughter’s obsession has crossed the line. He’s taken away phones. She still finds a way in. This call is a must-hear for parents.

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. It’s like our own little corner of the internet, minus the weird pop-up ads.

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

Rivian’s sister company Also Inc. unveiled DreamRide, a $4,500 e-bike that sounds more like a meditation session than a commute.

Swappable top frames, built-in LEDs, a sleek magnesium chassis and a 2.75-inch touch display make it feel like a full-on EV on two wheels. 

With a 100-mile range and a removable battery that doubles as a power bank, it’s enough to take you from A to B, and priced high enough to make you scared to leave it outside. 

The answer: C) Chicago! O’Hare International Airport honors World War II flying ace Edward “Butch” O’Hare, while Midway Airport nods to the Battle of Midway, a pivotal WWII naval victory. IBM’s Watson, bless its circuits, guessed “Toronto.” Which isn’t even in the U.S. Wow, I can’t believe that Jeopardy! episode aired over 14 years ago.

📕 Story time: My first job out of college was selling PCs and copiers for IBM. After six months, I asked how to move into corporate sales. My manager said, “Let’s grab a drink.” Over cocktails, she explained that role was for men in their 30s and 40s with families, not a 20-year-old single blonde woman. Ah yes, IBM: Idiots Become Managers. I took the hint, and in about a month, I was working for AT&T.

Your home isn’t just an address: It’s your security, your savings, your life. Scammers are getting clever, but I’m protected with Home Title Lock. Get up to $1 million in coverage and a team ready if fraud strikes. Don’t risk everything you’ve worked for. Get your free Title History Report and 14-day trial today.

Tomorrow, find out if you are making these mistakes. This is the #1 free tech newsletter in the U.S. 

🔋 Charge into the day like you’ve got backup batteries. See you bright and early tomorrow. — Kim

📣 Don’t keep me a secret: Send them to GetKim.com

Photo credit(s): Bing Image Creator, Amazon, Rivian Also

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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.

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