🚗 That sketchy text? It came from a car

Happy Tuesday, {{first_name | friend}}. Picture this: It’s May 2010. A guy logs into an online forum and types a sentence that would go down in history: “I’ll pay 10,000 bitcoins for...” At the time, nobody blinked. That transaction kicked off the first ever real-world Bitcoin purchase. 

Take a guess what took Bitcoin from being a digital novelty to legit currency. Was it a … A) T-shirt, B) Video game, C) Couple of pizzas or D) Domain name? The truth awaits you at the end. 

🎉 Love getting my free newsletter? Hit that ⭐️ or “Favorite” in your email app now, so I don’t disappear into your spam or promotions tab. You can’t stay tech ahead if I go missing! Thanks again for subscribing. I appreciate you more than you know. And share this newsletter with the one person who thinks incognito mode makes them invisible. — Kim

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Ever get one of those weird texts that says something like, “Your package is waiting” or “Click here to unlock your cash reward”? We all have. Most people figure it’s just a scammy mass text from some sketchy website.

You can’t be so sure anymore. What if I told you those shady texts didn’t come through the usual networks? They were broadcast by a random car driving through your neighborhood?

That’s the new trick. Scammers are using devices called SMS blasters, and they’re not just annoying, they’re downright dangerous.

Here’s the deal: These devices pretend to be a real cell tower. 

Your phone gets tricked into connecting, even if just for a second, and then BAM, a scam text pops up like it came from nowhere. These setups can be mobile, too. I’m talking about backpacks, parked vans, rental cars on the move.

They don’t need your number. They don’t even need a list. They just hijack every phone nearby and blast out messages like spam on steroids.

These scam texts can look really convincing. Delivery updates, IRS warnings, bank fraud alerts, the kind of stuff you click without thinking twice. One wrong tap, and they’ve got you. Personal info, passwords, credit card numbers, all wide open.

Here’s the kicker: Even the scam filters on your phone can’t stop them because these texts are basically cheating the system.

1. Turn off old connections: Scammers love older networks because they’re easier to spoof. Disabling 2G or older on your phone blocks one of their favorite tricks. I checked the steps below, but they may be different on your device, depending on make, model and operating system. Just keep poking around until you find them.

2. Don’t click sketchy links: If a text or email comes out of the blue with weird grammar and an urgent tone, don’t tap. Visit the company’s website manually or call their official number to check if the message is legit.

3. Report and warn others: Don’t just delete scam texts. Report them to your carrier (forward to 7726) or the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

🌟 Tell your friends and family, too, especially older folks or teens. They’re common targets. Use the handy share links below.

An AI startup offered to build me a digital avatar of my late mom, using photos, videos and recordings. Thousands of you wrote to me about it. In this show, I reveal my emotional decision.

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🕳️ Crypto bribery network: So X says scammers tried to bribe employees into reinstating banned crypto accounts. The group behind it, “The Com,” is basically a hacker frat for teenagers, linked to 120+ attacks, even against the London Underground. Imagine hacking the subway before you can drive a car. Legal action’s in motion, but heads up: If you see “double your Bitcoin now,” it’s not your lucky day.

TikTok gets a chaperone: Instead of a ban, TikTok’s getting a weird fix. ByteDance will lease its algorithm (paywall link) to a U.S.-controlled company. Oracle handles the “don’t spy on Americans” part, and the app on your phone? Works the same. No re-download needed, no sudden disappearance.

🥶 Not the ad fridge: Samsung swore they had no plans to put ads on smart fridges’ screens. We know that song and dance. Cut to now and a new software update turned into full-blown Cover Screen promotions. Samsung says, “The ads are added value.” Talk about having big meatballs. At this rate, I’ll need a pop-up blocker in the produce drawer.

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Chips off the ol’ motherboard: Nvidia just tossed $5B at Intel to build next-gen chips, mashing Intel CPUs with Nvidia GPUs for better PCs and AI gear. Intel’s had a rough patch, but this? Might be the glow-up it needs. Their stock jumped 28%. All they needed was a rich friend with a vision board. Don’t we all?

🛏️ Fake sleep science: Turns out sleep trackers are only 65% accurate at guessing your sleep stages. They’re basically playing a slightly smarter version of “Are You Asleep Yet?” based on your wrist twitches. Helpful? Maybe. Lab-grade reliable? Not even close. Still, 1 in 3 adults say they aren’t getting enough sleep, which explains why we keep buying the devices.

⚡ Apple Pay’s “free money”: You have to see this TikTok of a woman crying because she thought Apple Pay was Apple’s way of giving her money. She thought every tap, every time she accepted cookies and every app she downloaded earned her cash. I bet she thinks American Express is a train. Watch the short video here. Real or not? Let me know when you rate the newsletter at the end.

Apple’s new iPhone Air is making headlines as the thinnest iPhone ever. But with a single camera and a $1,000 price tag, is it worth it? Here’s what you need to know.

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🤖 Your gadgets deserve better than “just the basics.”

🎧 Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE + SmartTag2 (17% off): Grab these earbuds and score a SmartTag2 for free. Hurry, this only lasts until Sept. 28.

🍏 Apple AirTags (24% off, four-pack): Lost-and-found is canceled. Tag your keys, wallet, bag or even your dog.

🚗 Wireless car charger (12% off): Bumpy road? No prob. This keeps your phone steady while powering it up.

🛜 Wi-Fi travel router (5% off): Your own private, portable hot spot. Because public Wi-Fi is just plain risky.

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⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On Facebook, save interesting posts for later. Tap the three-dot menu on a post, select Save post and find them anytime under the Saved section.

🔔 Flash alerts on Android: Waiting for an important message? You can make your phone’s camera LED flash along with the screen. Go to Settings > Notifications > Flash Notifications, then toggle on Camera flash and/or Screen flash. FYI: For each one, you can choose whether it applies to all apps or only a specific app.

📱 Switch layouts in Phone app: In iOS 26, the Phone app looks a little different. Tap the Filter button (three lines) in the top-right corner and choose between the Classic layout or the new Unified view. Unified puts your recent calls, voicemails and contacts on a single screen so everything’s together.

📋 Recover text on Windows 11: I sometimes lose links I’ve copied, so I keep Clipboard History on. Go to Settings > System > Clipboard and toggle it on. Next time you need something back, press Windows key + V and your recent text copies pop up, ready to paste. Total lifesaver.

📚 Stop accidental taps on Kindle: If random screen touches keep messing with your reading, you can disable them. Inside a book, tap the three-dot menu in the top right and select Disable Touchscreen, then hit OK. You’ll still swipe to turn pages. To bring taps back, just restart your Kindle.

🤖 Change ChatGPT’s vibe: You’re not stuck with the default tone. Go to Settings > Personalization > ChatGPT personality. Cynic is sarcastic, Robot is efficient, Listener is supportive, and Nerd is playful. FYI: Leave it on Default if you’d rather keep it neutral and adaptive. Or prompt “reply in a friendly tone” whenever you need.

🧠 Siri’s gone fluent: Apple’s new AirPods Pro 3 are like having a robot interpreter whispering in your head, translating languages live, right in your ears. You speak one, they hear another. Now I can finally learn why my favorite taco spot keeps calling me a grassy ass.

Ever wanted to grow your own tomatoes and live in a snow globe? Meet the Backyard All‑Season Geodesic Greenhouse, part garden, part pod life and ready to be part of your yard.

For $7,999, you get a weatherproof dome big enough for a piano, patio set or time-out zone for your meme-coin cousin. The panels are so tough they’ve been tested against a baseball bat (AI muscular guy sold separately). 

With three glowing five-star reviews, it’s clearly legit. Coffee, yoga, hiding from family, it’s got you covered. Literally.

🍕 The answer: C) Pizza. I love his post: “I’ll pay 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas.. like maybe 2 large ones so I have some left over for the next day.” Well, if he’d held onto his stash, he’d have almost enough to buy Papa John’s (worth $1.5 billion). Fun fact: May 22 is now celebrated as “Bitcoin Pizza Day” by crypto fans worldwide. 

Speaking of… I burned my Hawaiian pizza last night. I should have cooked it at aloha temperature. (lol)

Well, for the #1 free tech newsletter in the United States, Pizza Day is every day. Tomorrow, Alexa’s not just listening, she might be the star witness in your life’s courtroom drama. 

✌️ Until then, keep exploring. The world of tech won’t wait, and neither should you. — Kim

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Photo credit(s): ChatGPT, Tadeko on Amazon

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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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