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Wi-Fi in the sky without paying a dime (or close to it)

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Is it just me, or does it feel downright offensive to pay $25 for in-flight Wi-Fi that barely loads your email?

Here’s the nasty truth: Some folks on your flight are scrolling TikTok or answering emails for free

The secret? A mix of loyalty perks, smart credit card picks and a little insider know-how. Let me break it down.

🆓 Airline freebies

You might already have free Wi-Fi and not even know it.

  • Delta now offers free Wi-Fi on most domestic flights if you’re a SkyMiles member. No catch. Just log in, and it’s free to sign up.
  • JetBlue offers Fly-Fi that’s free internet from gate to gate. 
  • Hawaiian Airlines is rolling out free Starlink service on its flights.
  • Southwest isn’t free, but they offer all-day Wi-Fi for $8 per device. That’s cheap if you’ve got layovers.
  • Some airlines let you stream movies and TV shows for free with ads. All you need is your phone, tablet or laptop. No Wi-Fi purchase needed.

🎬 Pro tip: Don’t count on the plane’s Wi-Fi working. Been there, it’s hell on wings. Before you take off, set your Google Drive to offline access and download a couple of Netflix movies or Spotify playlists to your device, so you’re not stuck staring at the seat back in front of you.

💳 Credit card or service

Some credit cards include free or discounted Wi-Fi perks that can pay for themselves after a few trips.

  • The Southwest Performance Business Card covers up to 365 in-flight Wi-Fi purchases a year. That’s a free login every day.
  • AAdvantage Aviator Red gives you $25 in Wi-Fi statement credits on American Airlines flights.
  • United Explorer Card gives you 25% back on in-flight Wi-Fi.

Also, T-Mobile users, you get free texting and Wi-Fi on Alaska, Delta, American and United flights. Just enter your phone number midair.

👉 Pro tip: Buy Wi-Fi ahead of time if you’re not covered. Airlines like Alaska offer preflight passes for less than what they charge on the plane.

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Grime’s going down

🧽 Only tools that don’t mess around … unless it’s to clean one up.

🐱 Fur be gone: Snag a steam brush ($26) to comb and de-shed your furry friend in one go. Your couch will thank you.

Food companies hate this app

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Healthy eating isn’t just trending, it’s something I’ve lived my whole life. I read every label, choose organic whenever I can and try to never eat processed foods. Knowing what’s going into your body matters, and I’ve always believed that.

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🎞️ Compress videos: Is your 10-minute clip 2GB? Use HandBrake to shrink the size. Drag and drop the file, pick a save location, choose a preset like Very Fast 1080p30 and click Start Encode. Be sure to check out this tutorial

💸 $742 million fortune lost: After 12 years, the guy who tossed a hard drive with 8,000 Bitcoin has to give up the search. It’s buried in a landfill in Wales, but officials won’t allow a dig because of environmental risks. And to top it off? A judge says it likely didn’t survive anyway. At least his story’s getting a documentary.

WWDC 2025: Apple’s Siri problem

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The big tech event of the year is underway. Will it be a showstopper? Here’s why Apple lovers are frustrated.

By the numbers

40%

That’s how much cooling costs can drop with an ice battery. Yes, actual ice. Buildings like Eleven Madison in NYC are freezing water at night, then using that ice to chill the place by day. It’s like time-shifting your AC to happy hour prices, potentially lowering cooling costs by up to 40%. Peak grid demand? Never heard of her.

Stack iPad widgets: Want weather for two locations? Add the Weather widget twice: Tap and hold the Home Screen, hit Edit, then Add Widget. Drag one onto the other to stack them. Tap and hold the stack, select Edit Weather and set a location for each. Now just swipe through to view both.

Alexa is always listening

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Amazon says your Echo only tunes in when you say the wake word. Not exactly true. Here’s how to check everything Alexa’s recorded about you

📺 Rated B for bogus: That $7.99/month YouTube Premium Lite plan is about to get a lot less ad-free. Starting June 30, you’ll see ads on Shorts, music videos and while browsing or searching. It’s all part of the push to get folks on full Premium for $13.99/month with no ads or background play.

Dad’s new favorite toys

🧑‍💻 This year, skip the tired tie and upgrade his gear.

📅 One week till Father’s Day: Shop my ultimate gift list now for more great picks he’ll brag about.

WWDC 2025: iOS 26, Live Translation, and Apple’s next AI moves

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Is Apple running out of new ideas? We break down everything from WWDC 2025, what’s legit, and what’s noise. Plus: A cyberattack takes down a major food supplier, AI goes head-to-head with cancer, and ChatGPT loses at chess to a console from 1977.

Titan submersible update

It’s been almost two years since the tragedy that killed all five onboard. Now, investigators are revealing some chilling finds from the ocean floor. In a new documentary, they say they found part of the OceanGate founder’s sleeve, with a pen, business cards and Titanic stickers still inside. So sad.

EV range lies: Consumer Reports drove 30 EVs dry at 70 mph and found over half underdelivered on range. Some like the Ford Lightning were off by up to 50 miles. BMW and Merc went the extra mile. Reminder: highway range ≠ sticker range. Especially not when it’s 95° and you’re blasting AC. 

🛜 Who’s on your Wi-Fi? Angry IP Scanner is a free app that scans your network for IP addresses and tracks everything that’s connected to it. Perfect for spotting moochers, catching suspicious activity or just troubleshooting tech issues.

Kim Komando Show

Collecting data on all Americans — June 7th, Hour 1

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Palantir is a data analytics giant. Is it building a massive government database with your info? Here’s fact vs. fiction. Plus: a North Korean smartphone, a viral math trap, and 93 billion browser cookies for sale. And I help Steve from Phoenix edit his podcast with NotebookLM.

Call of the wild

⛰️ Hitting the trails (or just the backyard)? Start here.

☀️ Soak up the sun: These handy UV detection stickers ($20) tell you when it’s time to reapply sunscreen. Neat.

Meet me at the address bar: Press Ctrl + L (PC) or Command + L (Mac) to instantly highlight your browser’s URL bar. No dragging your mouse or fumbling to click. It’s a simple trick that saves me time every day.

🚁 Walmart’s drone army: Wing and Walmart are dropping drone deliveries in 100 more stores. If you’re in Atlanta, Charlotte or Orlando, your box of Pop-Tarts might arrive like it’s a military op. Drones now deliver within 30 minutes for orders up to 5 pounds. Those aren’t UFOs, Samantha. That’s your emotional support rotisserie chicken.