🧡 The tech I’m most grateful for this Thanksgiving

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Today’s newsletter is all about gratitude. I am genuinely grateful for you. Because you read, share and support my little corner of the internet, this free newsletter keeps growing. Our shows, podcasts, newsletters, videos and community reach more people than I ever dreamed possible, and that is because of you. Thank you for being here and letting me be part of your day. 🧡

Let’s talk turkey. Specifically, ruined turkey. At one point or another, almost all of us have committed mild holiday crimes against poultry, blaming the bird when the oven’s the real culprit.

🌺 I’ll never forget my first Thanksgiving in my freshly remodeled Maui kitchen. I was so excited, invited over a dozen friends and family, had the turkey prepped, popped it in the oven, and everything felt perfect. Then Ian walked in and said, “What’s that awful smell?” Yep. I forgot to remove all the plastic from inside the oven. Melted plastic turkey surprise. Classic me.

Out of these Thanksgiving culinary oopsies, a quiet hero rose to fame.

Can you guess which everyday kitchen invention became popular only because so many cooks kept botching their turkeys? Was it: A) The meat thermometer, B) Aluminum foil, C) Throwaway roasting pans or D) The oven window? No fowl play here. The answer is at the end! — Kim

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See that beyond-cute turkey in the pic? It sits on my Thanksgiving table every year since Ian made it in kindergarten. It brings me such joy.

Thanksgiving has always been about family, food and those little moments that stay with you forever. I can still see my dad carving the turkey with those big Russian hands of his, showing me exactly how it should be done. 

My mom made the turkey every year until she couldn’t anymore. Two weeks before she was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2017, we recorded her teaching me her whole process. Her voice and her smile in that video mean everything to me.

Technology has crept into Thanksgiving, but instead of replacing memories, it helps me hold on to them and bring the past into the present.

My iPhone 17 Pro Max
When I was young, a quarter for a pay phone was your lifeline. Dad always made sure I had one. Today my iPhone does all of that and more. It is my camera, my way to check in with family far away, my digital brain that keeps me organized.

Smart speakers
My Aunt Patty was the entertainer of the family. Part comedian, part Patsy Cline impersonator, and she could sing “Crazy” like a pro. Now Alexa or Apple fills in with music, jokes and trivia. It is not Aunt Patty, but sometimes it brings her right back into the room.

Cloud storage
The videos of my mom are safe and waiting for me in the cloud. Any time I want to hear her voice or watch her smile, I tap and she’s there. It’s my heart.

AI tools
They help me get my work done faster and cleaner, so I am not chained to a computer all day. They buy me time back. Time to be with my family. Time for my friends. Time for me to take care of myself and get my workouts in. When tech gives you more life instead of taking from it, that’s something to be grateful for.

And this one is not tech at all
Every Thanksgiving, I pull out my Ukrainian grandmother’s old aluminum roasting pan for her stuffing recipe. She would stash bread and rolls in the freezer all year for that stuffing. When I hold that pan, she is right there with me. Some traditions never change.

I want to say two important things. 

If you’re spending Thanksgiving solo this year, I want you to know, you’re not forgotten. This day is about gratitude, and sometimes the quiet moments give us the clearest view of what really matters. Whether you’re taking a walk, watching your favorite movie or treating yourself to a peaceful meal, remember: Your presence in the world is a gift. You’re not alone in feeling alone today, and you are deeply valued. 🧡

And thank you to everyone working today. Doctors, nurses, EMTs, firefighters, police, military, restaurant staff, grocery workers, delivery drivers, pilots, flight attendants, transportation workers, utility crews and all the IT people who keep the world running. You make this day possible for the rest of us, and I am so very grateful.

What about you? What tech or non-tech things are you thankful for this year? I would love to hear your stories. Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours.

Want the ultimate holiday gift? Your AI host, Mara, shares how to make your kid the star of their own imagination.

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🎧 Or listen now wherever you get your podcasts, search for “Komando.”

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for hackers. Here’s how to sleigh the sales without getting taken for a ride.

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⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Trying a new mashed potato recipe this Thanksgiving? Set your YouTube tutorial to 1.25x speed to save time. Tap the settings icon on the video and select Playback speed. You can also Loop the video (right-click it), so you don’t have to rewind while your hands are busy peeling.

🤳 Snap the perfect family photo: Thanksgiving group pics get chaotic fast with everyone moving around. Use your phone’s timer (5 or 10 seconds) and prop it on a tripod, so everyone has time to get ready. And don’t forget to Tap to Focus before you step into the shot, so your camera locks onto the group and the image doesn’t come out blurry.

Swap those memories: After dinner, everyone’s going to want those cute pics. Instead of sending them through multiple apps, make a shared folder in Google Photos. Open the Photos app, tap the (+) at the top, and choose Album. Name it, add your photos and hit Done. Then tap Share > Get link > Options and turn on Collaborate.

🏠 Keep the house comfy: Own a smart thermostat like a Nest or Ecobee? Set a temporary schedule before the guests arrive. Extra bodies warm up the house fast, so turn it down a degree or two. Bonus: For a cozy vibe, open YouTube on your smart TV and search “4K fireplace.” 

Navigate the holiday traffic: Before you head to dinner, turn on Google Maps or Apple Maps with traffic alerts enabled. They’ll reroute you around Thanksgiving jams in real time. Also send your host your ETA before you go. It’ll stop the “where are you?” texts while you’re trying not to miss a turn.

🧠 Tech trimmings: Try these AI prompts when you’re in a pinch. 

🥧 Missing an ingredient? “I’m making pumpkin pie, but I’m completely out of evaporated milk. What are three substitutes I can use right now with common kitchen staples?” 

🔥 One oven, three dishes, no plan? “I have one oven. I need to cook a 14-lb turkey at 325°F, a green bean casserole at 350°F and dinner rolls at 375°F. Make me a schedule so everything’s hot by 4 p.m.”

🍞 Surprise diet restrictions? “My stuffing recipe serves 12 and uses white bread and butter. Can you scale it for 5 people and make it gluten- and dairy-free?”

Sometimes we’re so busy doing for everyone else that we forget our own impact. Take a minute and ask your chatbot the same question about you. You might hear something you really needed today. Here are some others for you to try.

Results may vary. The perfect pep talk could perk you up all week. Or you might end up crying in a Target parking lot.

The answer: A) The meat thermometer. Turns out, nothing motivates innovation quite like a generation of traumatized holiday hosts clutching burnt birds and muttering “never again.” Early pamphlets advertised meat thermometers as the solution to prevent Thanksgiving disasters. The only thing worse than a dry turkey is pretending your guests “like it that way.” 

🦃 I’m not eating leftover Thanksgiving food this year. I’m quitting cold turkey. (You’re totally going to use that one today, I know it!)

This is the #1 tech newsletter in the United States wishing you a happy Thanksgiving. Tomorrow, I’m back at it again with the best Black Friday deals you cannot afford to miss out on. 

🍁 God’s grace shows up in every little blessing. A thankful heart sees miracles the world calls ordinary. — Kim

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Photo credit(s): Kim Komando, Coslus, ChatGPT

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