News

Free gift in the mail? It’s a scam

Ever get a weird Amazon box and think it’s a gift? Think again.

They found a match on 23andMe and wanted money

Turns out DNA tests don’t just tell you you’re 3% Viking; they might also come with surprise lawsuits.

Watch where you click for those amazing deals

“Kim, I pride myself on being internet smart. Yesterday, in the heat of hunting for a specific sold-out gift, I got sloppy. I saw a link for a ‘Flash Sale’ that looked legitimate. I clicked it, and immediately knew something was wrong. The URL looked weird, a pop-up flashed, my browser started acting erratic and […]

Smart ways to handle all the holiday deliveries

Getting ready for the avalanche of packages? This guide will keep you out of delivery limbo.

Memories, megabytes & mashed potatoes

Tech can’t replace Thanksgiving, but the right stuff helps bring back the people and moments that matter.

Porch pirates are hacking tracking numbers to beat you home

Someone dressed as a trash bag to steal packages? That actually happened.

iCloud/Google Drive are NOT backups

From silent SSD failures to cloud syncing disasters, digital terrors are plaguing your most important files.

$100 million stolen from the Louvre: The hack was Windows XP

Robbers didn’t defeat the Louvre alone. Outdated Windows and a password called “LOUVRE” helped.

Smart mirrors for your bathroom are here

I remember the first time I saw a bathroom mirror with a built-in TV. I was at a ski lodge in Vail and called Barry to come see it.

Tech secrets only the pros know

We’ve all been there. Your screen goes black, but you can still hear the audio. You’re trying to move the cursor on your phone, but your thumb’s too big to land in the right spot. Or your Android suddenly turns into a sluggish mess, and you’re ready to throw your $1,000 phone out the window. […]

Identity theft starts small and ruins big

Last month, a friend of mine, we’ll call him David, got an alert from his identity protection service. It wasn’t a $2,000 charge for a new TV. It wasn’t $10,000 worth of phones in another country. It was a $48.50 bill opened in his full legal name for a utility company in a city he’d […]

Watch out for these cunning scams

I don’t want you to be a statistic.  Google put out a quiet but urgent warning: Online scams are on the rise, and they’re getting harder to spot. Even savvy folks are getting blindsided.  According to FTC data cited in Google’s November 2025 advisory, 57% of adults were targeted by a scam in the past […]

See if license plate readers are in your neighborhood

A woman in Colorado was falsely accused of theft because a Flock camera that looks like the one in the image above spotted her car near the scene. She wasn’t even close. She had to dig up dashcam footage, GPS, even her outfit to prove it. The charges were dropped, but the stress? Very real. […]

🛣️ Your driver’s license is worth more than you think

Your driver’s license has two jobs: ID and moneymaker. But sadly, not for you.

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 […]

Stop one-touch theft

Tap-to-pay is slick, fast and super convenient until it isn’t. Scammers have figured out how to use that same technology to steal your money without you even knowing. It’s called “ghost tapping,” and it’s spreading so fast, the BBB issued a major alert about it. 💳 How it works A scammer carries a hidden NFC […]

Unleash your inner IT overlord

I read every comment you leave at the end of this newsletter, and one theme always stands out: You want to know all the hidden things your tech can do!  Lucky for you, uncovering those “I had no idea!” moments is my superpower.  🪟 Secret Windows restart trick Frequent shutdowns can fix most computer issues, […]

Ransomware hackers upped the game, and it’s personal

If you read one thing today, let it be this, because the rules of ransomware have officially changed, and not in a “Yay, innovation!” kind of way. For years, the scam was simple: Hackers locked up your computer, holding your files hostage and demanding a ransom in Bitcoin for a promise to give your data […]

🔓 This $130 lock got picked with a water can

You know I love a good tech takedown, and this one is peak internet.  Meet Trevor McNally, a former U.S. Marine staff sergeant turned full-time YouTuber with a very specific hobby: lock picking. On his channel, he tests locks the way most of us test leftovers, with low expectations and a lot of curiosity.  He’s […]

Pawns, kings and queens

Barry and I play chess a few times a month, and he’s always completely floored when I win. Why? He plays everyday on Chess⁠⁠.com, and I only play with him. Here’s a business success I bet you didn’t see coming, I know I didn’t. Chess. Yes, the game that’s been around for about 1,500 years […]