| $31M bitcoin payoff in Texas, AI slop on sports sites, 'grandmacore' is so in ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏  In partnership with NativePath | | It's a stellar Sunday, friend! Everyone on TikTok can relax; Trump says he will "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve after he takes office on Monday because "it's appropriate." Meanwhile, the NSA has an urgent warning I've been giving readers and listeners for probably 10 years. When you download an app, you'll sometimes see an option to give its developer access to track your location Always, While using the app or Sometimes, or Never. Choose Never unless it breaks the app (in that case, pick When using the app). There's another step the NSA says you should take every single week. You'll find it below in today's "Tech Life Upgrades." 💅 Dang, you look good! Collagen is scientifically proven to help increase bone density, support cartilage regrowth, smooth wrinkles, strengthen nails and make your hair thicker. I've taken it for years, and you should try it, too. More below. Now, on to the tech smarts! — Kim 📣 Don't keep me a secret: Share the email with friends (or copy URL here) | TODAY'S TOP STORY Phrases tech has killed off  I'm sure you remember this: "You hang up first." "No, you hang up first." Not quite as romantic when you fumble for the "End call" button on your iPhone, eh? As times change and our tech changes, so, too, do the phrases we use. Let's take a little trip down memory lane this Sunday with something different in our quest for the ultimate tech know-how. It's gonna be fun, I promise. See how many of these phrases you've said at least a few times in your life: - "Roll down the window." Cars have had automatic windows for ages, making the manual rolling down of windows a thing of the past. I still say this, though, in my 1964 Mustang.
- "Check the answering machine." Voicemail on cellphones has obliterated the need for a physical answering machine.
- "Dial 411." My mother designed the 411 directory system for Bell Labs. Now, just look up someone online and you'll have their digits.
- "Page me." Pagers were all the rage once upon a time. Today, they're used almost exclusively in health care or other specific industries.
- "I'll tape it." You no longer tape shows with DVR and streaming services. You just hit "Record" on your device or catch it later on demand.
- "Boot up the computer." That's when computers took several (annoying) minutes to start.
- "Drop it in the mail." This refers to snail mail, which has been largely replaced by email or instant messaging for everyday communication.
- "Don't touch that dial." TVs and radios used to rely on analog dials. Modern devices no longer have physical dials.
- "Rewind" or "fast-forward." These phrases made perfect sense for cassettes and VHS tapes. While we still use them metaphorically, you're not winding anything.
- "I need to find a payphone." My dad used to make me carry a quarter in case I needed to make a call. With a cellphone in nearly everyone's pocket, payphones have become an urban relic.
- "Get the film developed" or "Don't waste the film." Oh, the good old days of waiting to see a picture you looked horrible in. Digital cameras and smartphones have done away with this.
- "Look it up in the White (or Yellow) Pages." Online directories have replaced those hefty books.
- "Burn a CD." Once a standard way to share music or files, burning CDs is mostly obsolete with streaming and cloud storage.
- "Check the TV Guide." Printed TV schedules have given way to on-screen program guides or streaming menus.
- "I'll fax it to you." Fax machines are nearly extinct. Warren Buffett once told me that's the only way he'll do contracts. Why? No one can hack a fax machine, unlike email. Good point, Warren.
😃 Want to share a saying not on this list? Follow me on social and leave a comment. I'm on Instagram, X, YouTube, Facebook and everywhere else. And if this made you smile, use the buttons below to share it with a friend. | DIGITAL LIFE HACK Polite way to keep your kids' photos private Your kids, your rules. Here's how to ask friends and family not to share your kids' pictures online while keeping things friendly. Tap or click below to play this podcast now. Use this link to listen on Komando.com → | WEB WATERCOOLER 💰 It pays not to work: New reports say bitcoin-mining company Riot Platforms struck gold during the August heatwave in Texas. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas paid them $31.7 million to use less power. That's $22 million more than they made mining bitcoin that month, all paid for by taxpayers. 10,000 pics at once: Imagine you have 10,000 images with a white background that should be blue. Before, you'd have to open each file, change the background, save it, and then do it again, over and over. Not anymore. Adobe's new Firefly Bulk Create app can edit them all at once. The AI-powered tool resizes, removes or replaces backgrounds with a single click. You'll need a Firefly Premium plan ($49 per month) and "generative credits" to unlock the feature. Call the referee: Hundreds of AI-fueled websites are flooding the internet with crappy sports articles, often stolen from legit sources. One tip-off: URLs that look like the real thing only if you squint, like "BBCSportss." It's all about ad money; they've got deals from big brands like Sephora, Net‑A‑Porter and Asana. Pure scam: It's wild how successful purebred puppy scams are. The "breeder" hooks you with cute pics, then it's all downhill. Once you send a deposit for the furry little one through Venmo or Zelle, scammers hand over a (fake) pick-up address and vanish. Don't pay for a pet you've never seen in real life. If you spot a suspicious ad, report it to the FTC. 🚀 The age of exploration: The U.S. launched 145 rockets in 2024 and plans to be even busier this year. A "traffic jam" is forming at three key launchpads in Florida and California approved for big rockets. New spaceports might be coming to a city near you. Rockets reach orbit easiest when launched near the equator, and most are by the ocean. Skinny is in: Rumors are swirling about Apple's iPhone 17 Air, measuring a mere 5.5mm in thickness. The iPhone Pro 16 is about two stacked pennies thicker, at 8.25mm. With less room, the specs for the Air aren't as impressive. Expect a single rear camera, a single speaker and a smaller battery that dies faster. Android's version, the Galaxy Slim, could drop in May. 🎮 "Fix it for me": This is the start of something big. Nvidia's Project G-Assist adjusts your game settings for you based on a conversation. Ask the AI questions like your current frame rate and how to improve it, and it'll adjust your GPU, aka graphics card, for better performance. Here's a sneak peek. Sew much fun: This is the year of "grandmacore" hobbies for 20-something gals — baking, knitting, embroidery, crocheting, gardening and anything else granny loved, too. No surprise, they say it's more relaxing than scrolling. I bought a knitting set three years ago, and it's still in the closet. Maybe this is my sign to try it! | MY TRUSTED ADVICE 🎙️ Every weekend on my award-winning national radio show heard on over 420 stations, I talk with interesting folks like you. Catch these convos on a station near you, or find my weekend show as a podcast in your favorite podcast player. - Sandra in San Antonio has a ton of Star Wars stuff she wants to sell on eBay. The only question is how much her stuff is worth. May the Force (and some serious bids) be with her!
- Matt in Louisville runs a piano shop and uses Outlook to handle service appointments. He's looking for a better way to schedule.
- Jan in Knoxville is an artist with a small downtown shop, and she wants to make extra money.
Plus, Jean looks for Excel help, Frank needs the scoop on chatbots for his trade show, Bob shops for a new phone, Pam fixes her spotty Wi‑Fi and so much more! 📆 Let's talk about anything digital in your life, whether it's family matters or your business. Make an appointment to speak with me right here. |
TECH LIFE UPGRADES The NSA says to do this once a week: Reset your phone's advertising ID. It's a unique identifier they use to serve you targeted ads. The more data that's gathered, the easier it is to pinpoint exactly who you are. On iPhone, do this under Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising, and toggle off Personalized Ads. On Android, go to Settings > Google > Ads, and toggle the switch for Opt out of Ads Personalization. While you're at it: Antivirus isn't just for your computer. Protect your phone and keep it running at its best with my pick, which is only $19 for the first year.* 🖌️ Bye, bye, bye: There's a handy way to edit anything out of a pic, and it's built right into Microsoft Paint: Generative Erase for Windows 11. In Paint, open the image you want to edit, hit the selection tool (upper left corner) and highlight the area you want to delete. Then, press Generative Erase (eraser icon) in the pop-up. It takes about a minute for AI to do its thing. So embarrassing: You don't want your coworker asking why you googled "Can my plants hear me crying?" Lock your Mac's screen quickly with Ctrl + Cmd + Q (Windows key + L in Windows). Be smart about cybersecurity and get in the habit of doing this every time you walk away. 📚 Stacked 'n' sorted: Group a book series on Kindle to keep your digital library tidy. Just select Settings > Device Options > Advanced Options > Home & Library, then toggle on Group Series in Library. If you don't see it, update your device. Now, back to your page‑turner. Wanna know what your neighbors are searching? Check the Trending now tab on Google Trends. Use the filters at the top to narrow it down by state or city. Adjust the timeframe from the last four hours to a week. You can search by categories like "Food and Drink," too. It's playoff season: Right now, new DraftKings Pick6 customers who play $5 get $50 in Pick6 credits with code KIMK. Play online or download the DraftKings Pick6 app for iPhone or Android.** Fingers crossed for a touchdown. | DEALS OF THE DAY Practical magic Helpful little tools you won't believe you lived this long without. - Make your tile floors look new again with a grout paint pen, available for thick ($12) or skinny lines ($9).
- Quick knocking over the broom! Mount this rack (35% off, $9) to keep your cleaning tools neat and tidy.
- Here's a genius idea for when counter space is hard to come by: Put the coffeemaker (or anything else) on a slider (40% off).
- Outlet concealers ($23) are so smart behind couches or other places where there's not much space but you still need to plug in.
- Tension shelves (10% off) give you more closet space without having to drill into the walls.
🥸 Because I care about you: If you're a guy over 40, you need a nose and ear hair trimmer. Just trust me on this. | SUNDAY TO-DO LIST Protect: Your birdie friends. Table-style bird feeders spread fatal diseases more easily, especially in finches. This style is safer. ⁉️ Guess: How long it took ChatGPT to hit 50 million users. Andrew was so off. Stop waiting: See if you qualify for a risk-free trial* of tiny hearing aids that make conversations crystal clear again. Geek out: Go to the O'Reilly Auto Parts website and search for "121G." Share: Your ETA without having to text. 🎹 Listen: To Ruth Slenczynska, the last living student of pianist Sergei Rachmaninov. Ruth was declared a virtuoso at 5. Here's a fabulous video about her when she turned 99. (She's 100 now!) 🤗 Help me help you: If there's something digital you use a hand with, I'm your gal. Drop me a line, and we can chat on my national radio show or I can answer your question here in this newsletter. | UNTIL NEXT TIME ... From Linda in Toledo: "Kim, how do you look so good?" Linda, you're a peach. I go to Pilates three times a week, I eat my veggies, I get my steps, I go to church, and I use supplements that help me feel my best. That includes two scoops of collagen* every morning to keep my joints strong and give me extra protein. 👟 Speaking of … I was running down a street where the houses were numbered 64KB, 128KB, 256KB, 512KB and 1MB. A trip down memory lane. (Oh, that hurt me while I was writing it!) 🫶 Seriously, thank you for letting me in your inbox every day. I don't take this privilege lightly. I really hope you're feeling tech-ahead and never tech-behind. See you back here tomorrow for another issue of the best tech newsletter in the USA. — Kim | How'd we do? What did you think of today's issue? | | |
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Keep a civil tongue.