Cold storage, cold betrayal: Say goodbye to the crypto wallet Ledger’s Nano S. No more updates, no help if it breaks. Folks bought it thinking they could just keep their crypto in it, but now are being forcibly nudged to upgrade to the Nano S Plus or Nano X.
Take a trip back to your childhood home, no plane ticket required
Google Maps
That’s my childhood home above at 111 Washington Avenue, South Amboy, NJ. I was about 10 when I knocked out my front tooth on the swing set. There was also the day when I made the very bad decision to throw a snowball at a passing police car while the officer had his windows open. (Yes, I hit him. No, I don’t recommend it.)
I hadn’t looked at my old house in years, but seeing it on Google Maps took me straight back. Want to do it, too? It’s super easy and a little emotional.
🗺️ Find your childhood home
- Open the Google Maps app or go to maps.google.com.
- Type in and enter the address of the house or neighborhood.
- Select Street View, then tap the image.
- Tap (or click) the screen and then select “See more dates” (top left, web, or bottom, app) to go back in time.
If you’re lucky, Google may have snapshots of the home over the years. You can see when the fence was replaced, or if they finally painted the garage door, or if the tree you used to cry under is still standing.
🤖 Now add AI fun
Here’s a great use of AI that’s actually heartwarming. Upload a screenshot of your childhood home to ChatGPT (or another image AI tool) and say:
“This is the house I grew up in. Can you help me write a short story about a memory here?” If you use Midjourney, it can make an aerial view.
💡 Bonus idea: Jot down three childhood memories in your Notes app. The next time you’re with your kids or grandkids, show them the house and tell them the stories.
Trust me, they’ll remember the one about the snowball. Or the time your mom found you building a sandcastle and took Grandpa’s urn back. ⚱️
📧 Take back that email: In Gmail, you can undo a sent message if you move fast. Click the Settings icon > See all settings > General, then find Undo Send. Set the cancellation period to 30 seconds, scroll down, and click Save Changes. Next time you regret an email, just hit Undo.
Read your Kindle sideways: Prefer a wider view? While reading, tap the screen and hit the Aa formatting button. Go to Layout, then under Orientation, choose the Landscape icon. Handy if your iPad habits are hard to shake.
Sharing Google Docs? If you’re giving someone Editor access, make a copy first. Go to File > Make a copy and rename it, so you can always go back to the original. Bonus: If you don’t want them changing anything, click Share (top-right) and set General access to Viewer only before sending the link.
Don’t miss important emails: Gmail sorts your inbox into Primary, Promotions, Social and Updates tabs. If you always want to see emails from a specific sender (like me, hehe), just drag one of their messages into the Primary tab. When Gmail asks to do this for future messages, click Yes and you’re all set.
❗ Is it just you? Use Downdetector to check if a service is down, like your internet provider, Netflix or social media apps. Just type the name in the search box.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Set a custom wallpaper on your Echo Show: Use the Alexa app > Devices > Echo Show > Photo Display > Family pics > Stock art.
📚 Take Kindle screenshots: Want to save something on your screen? Tap the upper-right and lower-left corners at the same time. To view it, plug your Kindle into a computer and check the Screenshots folder (Root folder for older models).
📄 Google trick for docs: You can look for specific file types by adding filetype: to your search. For example, type filetype:pdf user manual (PDF), filetype:xlsx monthly budget (Excel), filetype:doc job application (Word) or filetype:ppt marketing presentation (PowerPoint).
📚 Lock your Kindle: Want to keep your reading private? From the Home screen, tap the three dots in the top right > Settings > Device Options > Device Passcode. Because hey, some books are strictly for after dark.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Tired of Instagram suggesting people to follow? Go to your profile > Edit profile > toggle off Show account suggestions on profiles.
📶 Wi-Fi not showing up on your phone? First, move closer to your router. Thick walls and appliances can mess with the signal. Still nothing? Unplug the router for 30 seconds and restart it. Still no go? Toggle Wi-Fi off and on.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Watching YouTube and want silence? Tap M on your keyboard to mute/unmute instantly. Useful when someone walks in mid-video.
🔍 Zoom in on Instagram posts: Using Instagram on your phone and can’t see the tiny details? You can zoom in on photos and videos by spreading two fingers apart on the screen. It’s great for reading small texts. Just don’t double tap by accident while snooping. That late-night “like” is hard to explain.
Have dyslexia? Try the dyslexic font on Kindle. Open a book, tap near the top of the screen and hit the Aa icon. Go to Font > Font family and select OpenDyslexic. Bonus: You can also adjust the boldness and size of the font from here.
▶️ Save your YouTube channel: Back up all your videos, just in case. Head to takeout.google.com and select only YouTube and YouTube Music. Then, follow the prompts to download everything in one swoop. Your future self will thank you.
Biometric bandwagon: Unlock your Amazon app on your phone with your fingerprint or face. On the web, open Amazon account settings, click Login & security, then click Set up next to Passkey.
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Share your location on WhatsApp: Open the chat, tap the Paperclip icon, choose Location, then Share Live Location and hit Send. They’ll get a live-updating map showing where you are.
🐷 I think, therefore I ham: Ham radio operators will be setting up in parks to talk with others across the country today. Use the Field Day Locator: Type your town and state under Location or Call Sign, click a marker and get the details. Fun times!