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Your driver’s license has two jobs: ID and moneymaker. But sadly, not for you.
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Holiday gift guide: Unwrap the presents everyone wants
Google just dropped its 2025 Holiday 100, aka what everyone wants this season. I dug past the hype to find the gadgets, gear and glam that are actually worth your cash. But don’t wait until December. Many are bound to sell out sooner than later.
Not feeling festive yet? Scroll past all the great gifts to the Web Watercooler section to find out who Apple’s paying $1 billion a year to stop Siri from embarrassing herself.
🎧 Noise-canceling headphones (23% off)
Built for the long haul. With a comfy over-ear fit, mic for video calls and up to 70 hours of playtime, you can fly from New York to Tokyo without recharging once.
Portable smart projector (28% off)
The first mini projector with Roku built in. Connect it to Wi-Fi and stream in full 1080p. Watch a whopping 150-inch screen. I got one like this for Barry’s kids last year, and they use it all the time.
💇♀️ Hot air styler (18% off)
One tool, five styles. It dries, brushes, curls and smooths in one sleek package. Bonus: an oval head for volume and a round attachment for shaping. I get salon results at home.
Skin care tool set (20% off)
Your five-minute glow-up kit. Get a massage, cold therapy, lymphatic drainage and headache relief for under $13. Use promo code KITSCHSAVE10 for an extra 10% off. Every woman will love this, really.
🧳 Duo leather bag (30% off)
Save $90 on a chic Kate Spade. Wear it around your body, on your shoulder, as a belt or as a clutch with a removable pouch. Versatile = stylish.
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Treat yourself (or someone else)
You deserve a break, not a breakdown.
💝 Gift of instant chill: Eye massager (40% off)
Tired of looking tired? Slip on this heated mask and soothe away hours of screen strain, headaches and stress. Tax-free bonus: It’s FSA/HSA eligible.
🕯️ Can you candle it? An electric candle warmer lamp (50% off) melts your favorite holiday scents without lighting a flame. Built-in timer turns it off for you.
No pull zone: The stainless steel blades on this hair trimmer (36%) keep your nose, ears and dignity in check. Great stocking stuffer for him or her.
💤 Sleep smarter: Psst … this is your sign to finally snag an ergonomic memory foam pillow (22% off). Your neck, back and shoulders will thank you.
Under $10! Beekeeper’s Naturals nighttime cough syrup (33% off) is packed with plant-based ingredients that fight those seasonal sniffles.
🧑🎄 Your shortcut to Santa status: Find all the best gifts, decor and latest deals on Amazon’s Holiday Shop. Get them while they last!
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
10 best true tech stories streaming
You can keep the wizards and aliens. Give me a movie or series where something unbelievable actually happened.
Back by popular demand, I put together this list for you as proof that tech isn’t only lines of code and shiny gadgets. It’s ambition, hype, brilliance and, yeah, sometimes a total train wreck. You’re gonna want to see each one.
🍏 See iPhone updates on your Mac: With macOS 26 and iOS 26, you can link your iPhone to your Mac so live activities show up there, too. Go to Settings > Desktop & Dock > Widgets > iPhone and select the device. After that, you’ll see things like your upcoming flight info right in the menu bar, without reaching for your phone.
💾 Accidents happen every day. One laptop crash, one spilled cup of coffee, one disaster, and years of memories could be gone forever. I use Carbonite to automatically back up everything and recover it with one click. Save 50% at Carbonite.com/Kim.
AI wrote the #1 country song in America
A totally fake group just beat real artists on the charts. Nashville did not have this on its bingo card.
The 24/7 AI camera network spying on you
Flock cameras, installed by HOAs, apartments, and local businesses, are live feeds police can access anytime. Privacy red flag? Think so. Plus, Neil DeGrasse Tyson deepfakes, Kim K’s AI legal drama, and tap-to-pay scams. I also give advice to Jane from Atlanta who asks: how can I help businesses tap into AI?
One endless page: If you use Google Docs for notes, meeting minutes or blog drafts, you don’t need those page breaks getting in the way. Click on Format > Switch to Pageless format to turn it into one continuous scroll. Bonus tip: Head to View > Text width to adjust how wide your text appears on the screen.
Your survival guide to this week’s flight chaos
A massive wave of flight cuts is hitting travelers this week. If you’re flying soon, don’t panic. Do this instead to keep your trip on track.
🍷 OpenTable’s open secret: Every time you book through OpenTable, it’s quietly tracking you like the NSA. Not just your favorite drink but how long you stay, how much you spend and even if you’re a “late canceler.” Hosts see AI-generated notes like “frequent reviewer,” “high spender” or my personal favorite, “dines longer than average.” It’s only a matter of time before a class-action lawsuit blows the doors open and we see the dirt on us. I’m sure mine says, “Takes 10 minutes to explain how she wants her salmon cooked. Olive oil only, no butter. Center cut. Medium well with a light dusting of blackened seasoning. Two fresh lemon wedges on the side.” Although I would prefer, “Warning: Has strong opinions on fish and isn’t afraid to scale up.”
Screen dreams come true
I’ve got the gadgets that’ll make you swipe right.
🍏 Byte-size: Charging station (40% off)
One station, three devices. This wireless charger juices up your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once. Easily packs flat for travel.
🤖 Galaxy, get ready: Rocking a Samsung? Dock up to five gadgets on a fast-charging station (30% off) that won’t overcharge your tech. Fits on your nightstand or desk.
More screen, more power: Triple your workspace with a laptop screen extender (24% off). Makes multitasking on the go way easier.
🔥 Lit for bingeing: Amazon’s newest Fire HD 8 tablet (45% off) is only $55 right now. Prime member? You get early access to the smarter Alexa+.
Jam sesh ready: Give this cell phone stand (33% off) to anyone who loves watching movies on their phone, even if that “someone” is you.
⚡ Current-ly the best: Tap here to see what other goodies are on sale. Go forth and finish your shopping in no time.
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AI’s in the driver’s seat, and it’s drunk
I just read a jaw-dropping research paper out of Cornell University that hasn’t hit the headlines anywhere yet. Welcome to our new world. Scammers are using AI photos to create fake car accidents.
I’m talking crash photos, damage reports, even fake driver’s licenses all crafted by AI in minutes. Fraudsters are submitting fake claims to insurance companies and getting paid out. The tech is so good, even humans and some AI detectors can’t tell what’s real and what’s not.
Clean your system: Ever feel like your computer’s holding onto too much junk? BleachBit can help. It’s a free tool that clears cache, internet history, logs and more you didn’t know was there. It works with apps like Chrome and can even “shred” files so they’re almost impossible to recover. Download it for Windows and Linux.
Hyundai’s data spill: Drive a Hyundai? There’s a small chance (OK, not that small) your personal info took a road trip without you. Hackers hit Hyundai’s IT arm back in February, scooping up the names, driver’s licenses and SSNs of up to 2.7 million people. The company’s only now sending out the “oops” letters.
More updates to install: It was Patch Tuesday, so Microsoft also rolled out fixes for 63 flaws on Windows. Go to Settings > Windows Update to make sure you’ve got it. One more thing: Windows 10 received its first Extended Security Update since support ended last month. You can still enroll, but save yourself some stress and upgrade for free (here’s how).
Facebook made $16 billion off scam ads
Why can’t Meta stop the fraud? Easy. It probably doesn’t want to. Hear how it made billions off scam ads last year. Plus, the Musk-Altman feud and a big Google Maps update. Then I talk to caller Byron, who says scammers drugged him and used facial recognition to unlock his phone. Scary!
Write your kid a storybook with AI
Want the ultimate holiday gift? Your AI host, Mara, shares how to make your kid the star of their own custom children’s book. Then, she digs into why your car insurance is so high, the ransomware threat that just got way meaner, and real-time deepfake calls.
🚨 Chrome alert: Google dropped a new update that fixes a serious security problem. Hackers could crash Chrome, bypass protections or run harmful code on your computer. The patch rolls out automatically, but it might take a few days to reach you. Get ahead by going to Settings > About Chrome > Relaunch. Phew.
Drones in danger: Think you’ve got a stressful deadline? DJI’s about six weeks away from an automatic U.S. ban, not for breaking rules but because nobody started the government audit Congress demanded last year. The “risk assessment” was supposed to prove whether DJI’s gear was safe or sketchy. Instead, it’s just not happening. DJI’s been begging someone, anyone, to pick up the clipboard. I feel better that procrastination goes all the way up to the top.