Welcome to your Sunday, friend.In movies, some hacker says, "I'm in the mainframe," and files magically float through the air. Real life? Way more cables and anchors than CGI.
🤿 Pop quiz: The internet feels wireless, with satellites, signals, Wi-Fi everywhere. But what percentage of global traffic actually travels through cables on the ocean floor? A) 15%, B) 45%, C) 75% or D) 99%? Dive down to the answer at the bottom.
📺 If you like what I do here, you'll love my YouTube channel. More tips, more tech, more me. Come hang out. Watch now.— Kim
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TODAY'S DEEP DIVE
Cold as ice
Image: ChatGPT
⚡ TL;DR (THE SHORT VERSION)
Credit freezes block new credit accounts, but that's all they do.
They won't alert you when someone opens a bank account in your name, applies for a payday loan or quietly tests your data.
Layers = real protection.
📖 Read time: 3 minutes
Roger in Denver wrote in with a question I hear all the time:
"Kim, I took your advice and froze my credit. I had no idea there was a fourth credit bureau until you told me! Since I took these steps, why would I need an ID protection service like NordProtect? I've seen the ads on your show and in The Current, and I'm so confused."
Roger, first off, good on you. Freezing your credit is one of the smartest moves you can make. It stops a ton of fraud before it ever starts.
I know what you're thinking. If someone steals my credit card number, fixing it takes five minutes. I call, dispute the charge, get a new card. Done.
But if someone steals your identity? That cleanup can take 300+ hours. Weeks of phone calls. Paperwork. Frozen accounts. Stress. And it usually gets that bad because the fraud wasn't caught early.
🥶 What freezes do well and what they don't
So we're all on the same page, a credit freeze blocks lenders from pulling your credit to open new accounts. That's huge. It stops new credit cards, auto loans, mortgages opened in your name.
What it doesn't do is alert you when something shady is happening. Identity theft rarely starts with a big, obvious move. Criminals test the waters.
They apply for short-term loans, say payday advances, that don't always check traditional credit.
They open bank accounts using your info.
They change contact details on your accounts, so alerts never reach you.
They run a single hard inquiry to see if your data still works.
A freeze won't tell you when any of that is going on.
🔒 Quick reminder: If you haven't frozen your credit with all four bureaus (yes, four), I put together everything you need, links, phone numbers, the works. Here's the link to it on my site.
👍 How ID theft protection earns its keep
This is where services like NordProtect come in. Think of it as the layer that watches what credit freezes can't.
Good protection monitors all major credit bureaus, watches for short-term loan attempts, flags suspicious bank account activity and pings you when your personal info is being used somewhere it shouldn't be.
If something does slip through, these services help you navigate the disputes, the paperwork, the "please hold" purgatory. Some include insurance to help cover losses.
Roger, the marketing around this stuff is messy. Protection works best in layers.
Freezes reduce the risk.
Monitoring catches trouble early.
Recovery support saves your time and sanity when things go sideways.
If you've already frozen your credit, you're ahead of most people. Identity theft protection helps make sure you stay ahead.
I had LifeLock for years. Then it got expensive, like, really expensive. So I did what I tell you to do. I shopped around. NordProtect does everything I need for $4.74 a month. I switched and haven't looked back. Full transparency, they're now a sponsor of my radio show.
Would I sleep without identity theft protection? Absolutely not. Maybe I know too much.
✅ Try NordProtect at 66% off. I get nothing if you sign up, just want you protected. And if you don't love it, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Know someone who thinks a credit freeze is all they need? Forward this their way. It might save them 300 hours of headaches down the road.
THE KIM KOMANDO SHOW
The trillion-dollar space war
Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are battling for control of the internet from space. I break down who's winning and why China filed to launch 200,000 satellites. Plus, I talk to a woman sent to jail by an AI deepfake, a man made a creepy smart glasses sex tape and how to automate your emails with ChatGPT.
🎧 Or search "Komando" wherever you get your podcasts. I'm everywhere.
WEB WATERCOOLER
🎵 Soul without soul: You might have already streamed music by an artist you think is human, like Sienna Rose. The rising soul star with about 2.8 million listeners on Spotify generates thousands in daily plays. But here's the catch: She's AI, with no indication on her page. Spotify says it takes down tracks only when they're harmful or impersonate real people. If you're an artist, you need to innovate. Hendrix redefined the guitar. Motown did it with R&B. Taylor Swift brought a new sound to pop. Now, it's your turn.
Can't touch this: I know you've heard folks say AI will change every job, and yeah, probably. But not this one. At Crane Stationery, engraving is still done by hand (paywall link), on antique presses, by people who spend a year learning to print in one color. Pay's modest, machines are moody and most folks quit. But it's work that lasts. Some crafts are too human to replicate. Everyone's worried about machines replacing us, but the truth is, some jobs disappear because they're too human.
🛑 You know that moment when you stand up and your knees have an opinion? Yeah, that's collagen leaving the chat. I put NativePath in my tea every morning, no taste, no fuss. It helps with joints, skin, hair, all the stuff that takes a hit as we get older. Small habit, big difference. Get up to 44% off plus free shipping and free gifts right now.**
Betrayed by Bluetooth: Ever wear headphones to avoid people? Me, too. Researchers found that 17 popular earbuds and speakers (Sony, JBL, Google, etc.) can be hijacked in 15 seconds from 50 feet away, letting hackers listen in, blast music or even track your location. Some devices can even be linked to a stranger's Google account. You're not just pairing, you're getting paired with.
🔍 Google to SEO gurus: Knock it off. You know those websites that chop their content into weird little bite-size chunks and lists that feel robotic to read? They do it because some SEO experts said AI loves it. Google says stop. Write for humans, not algorithms. Use clear headlines. Add author bylines. Include sources and citations. Make your content comprehensive. Same advice they've given since the beginning of time. Speaking of, I googled "lost medieval servant boy." The result was "This page cannot be found."
Heading to the gym?The 14-piece set comes with two 37-oz cups and a 23-oz cup, so you can blend and head out fast. Crushes ice, frozen fruit and even coffee beans like a champ.
Image: Ganiza
🍞 Mostest toasted: This retro toaster(24% off, $38) has modern brains. Six levels let you dial in the browning, and wide slots fit thick slices.
Slow staleness: A BPA-free bread container(20% off, $20) keeps air out and freshness in. No more crusty edges by day two.
🧈 Butter get this: An airtight dish(42% off, $8) stops butter from drying out or picking up weird smells. Fits regular sticks, and it's dishwasher safe.
Meal prep FTW: Snag a roomy lunch box(50% off, $8) that holds up to 12 cans. Perfect for road trips or busy days on the go.
🛒 Fresh picks (literally): Tap here for 30 more kitchen gadgets that earn their counter space.
Prices and deals were accurate at the time of publication.
DEVICE ADVICE
🎧 I'll tag along. Walking the dog, folding laundry, stuck in traffic, I'm great company. Listen to my latest show on Apple, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts. Search for "Komando" to find me.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Don't get off the couch to make your Alexa smart speaker louder. Next time you want to adjust the sound, say, "Alexa, volume up" or "Alexa, volume down." Bonus: You can also say, "Alexa, set volume to 8." It goes up to 10. Now you're smarter than her.
💥Ransomware doesn't care that you're not a Fortune 500: You think hackers only go after big companies? Wrong. One bad click, and your family photos, years of work, tax returns and memories are locked. Gone. I use Carbonite to back up everything. If you get hit, you simply restore your clean files from the cloud. Get 50% off reliable backup now. I get no kickback here. I don't want you to learn this lesson the hard way.*
🤖 Get more out of ChatGPT: ICYMI, you can change how the bot talks to you by going to Settings > Personalization > Base style and tone. From there, you can make it sound more professional, friendly or even cynical. That's not all. When asking for help, tell it to play a specific role, like an expert in the field. It'll change how the AI thinks and responds. While you're at it, sign up to get my new AI newsletter that launches soon!
Losing your mouse cursor often? Weary eyes will do it to ya. On a Mac, open System Settings > Accessibility > Display, scroll to Pointer, and turn on Shake mouse pointer to locate. Wiggle the mouse, and it'll grow bigger. On Windows, go to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, and enable Mouse indicator. Press Ctrl, and a circle appears around it.
🔒 Still resetting the same password every two weeks? Same. Until I got NordPass. Now it remembers everything, generates passwords hackers can't crack and logs me in with one click. No notebook. No sticky notes on your monitor. No more "try again in 30 minutes." Get 52% off now, $1.43 a month.*
TV keeps shutting off? If it dies at two or three hours, it's not broken. Go to Settings > Sleep Timer > Off. Still happening? Check Power or Energy Saving for Auto Power Off. That one triggers when you're not pressing buttons (aka relaxing, smh).
🤓 Got a 50-page report you'll never read? Upload it and NotebookLM turns your doc into a podcast, two AI hosts discuss the key points while you listen. Or ask it questions and get answers in seconds. Free from Google.
Amazon knows you better than your therapist. The least it can do is give you a discount. Check to see if what you buy all the time is on sale today. Click here.
WHAT THE TECH?
Image: Allergen Alert
🍽️ A food lab in your pocket
If you have food allergies, eating out can feel like a trust fall with a stranger.
Allergen Alert wants to change that. This pocket-size gadget, still in development, tests your food for allergens and gluten in minutes. Scoop a sample, seal it in a pouch, press a button.
Lab-grade results, no guesswork, no relying on a waiter who "thinks" it's gluten-free.
Built for families, travel, restaurants, anywhere food makes you nervous. Like TSA for your dinner plate. This will be great for so many people! On their site, you can sign up for product announcements so you know when it hits the market.
LOGGING OUT …
Tomorrow: Remember Star Trek's universal translator? It exists now. Earbuds that let you talk to anyone, in any language, in real time. I'll break down the tools actually worth using.
🌊 The answer: D) 99%. Yep, nearly all of our international internet traffic travels through fiber-optic cables snaking along the ocean floor. In a world obsessed with satellites and swirling clouds of data, the real MVP is about 870,000 miles of good old-fashioned wire, enough to circle Earth 35 times. It's like the world's longest extension cord, guarded by squid.
Something else that's wild? Undersea cables can carry up to 400 terabits per second of data. That's the equivalent of streaming over 12 million HD Netflix movies, all at once.
I dreamed I drowned in an ocean made of orange soda. When I woke, I realized it was just a Fanta sea. 🍊 (Yeah, you're gonna use that one, I know it!)
🛠️ You can't Ctrl + Z real life, but you can always try again tomorrow. See ya then! — Kim
Kim Komando • Komando.com • 510+ radio stations • Trusted by millions daily
Companies and products denoted by an asterisk (*) within this publication are paid sponsors or advertisements. As an Amazon Associate, the publisher earns from qualifying purchases. Statements regarding products denoted by a double asterisk (**) have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration; such products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This newsletter is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, or professional advice of any kind. Readers should consult with a qualified professional before making any decisions based on this content. The publisher disclaims all liability for any loss, damage, or injury resulting from the use of or reliance on the information contained herein.
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Keep a civil tongue.