Happy Tuesday! Let’s start with the trivia. Billionaire Warren Buffett said AI will change everything and likened it to the development of the atomic bomb. Is this next sentence true or false … He lives in the same home he purchased in 1958. Answer’s at the end!

There is so much tech know-how I want to pass along to you. Let’s dive in! — Kim

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OpenAI’s ChatGPT is so far ahead of the competition from Google and Apple that other companies are harnessing its powers for their chatty software. 

ChatGPT can do anything from spitting out a pasta recipe to job interview tips. But, you know what they say, niches make riches. Check out these four chatbots built for super-specific tasks:

1. A bot to write that email

Instead of just fixing typos, Grammarly can now do your work for you. GrammarlyGo composes blog posts, emails, proposals and social media posts (complete with hashtags). 

It takes your written voice into account, so the words sound like they came from you. It works with Gmail, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, LinkedIn and more.

You know those company-wide emails you can never think of a good response to? Tag! You’re it, GrammarlyGo. I’m not happy with my made-up, mediocre cheesy joke about bad grammar. I want to make a gouda one.

2. A bot to book that trip

Ask Expedia’s AI chatbot to help book a trip anywhere. It’ll help with the boring part (finding flights and renting a car), along with the fun stuff (recommending local adventures, places to eat and other things to do).

Tripnotes is another solid option. It can’t book for you but has excellent itinerary and restaurant recommendations.

3. A bot to learn the lingo

The language learning app Duolingo has Duolingo Max to better help you learn español or français. When you’re stumped on a lesson, hit Explain My Answer. Duo will explain why your response was right or wrong and further elaborate. Neat.

Roleplay lets you carry on a conversation with virtual characters that have names and personalities. No two convos are the same, so it feels closer to practicing with a native speaker. 

4. A bot to be your pal

My AI lets Snapchatters customize and name a Bitmoji avatar to answer trivia questions, offer gift advice, help plan a trip or suggest a recipe for date night.

The bad part: It’s pinned to the top of the Snapchat screen and can only be removed if you buy the $4/month Snapchat+ upgrade. Pretty shady move.

Brave new (virtual) world

Have fun experimenting with ChatGPT and its offshoots, but don’t go overboard. Follow my tips to stay safe.

Western Digital hacked: Email addresses, phone numbers, passwords and partial credit card numbers were stolen. Game plan: Change your WD password and watch for phishing scams.

Fortnite strikes gold: The International Olympic Committee just added Fortnite to the official Esports roster, joining Just Dance, Gran Turismo and web chess. Check, mate.

Mo’ Microsoft moola: Coming to Windows 11, ads for free trials of 365 and OneDrive in the Settings Menu. Argh.

Bogus blue checkmarks: Facebook scammers impersonated Meta with fake verified ads that led to malware-infected sites. See one of the ads here. 

Catcall your … cat?: Scientists say the best way to get your cat’s attention is with verbal cues and body language … Call their name and hold out your hand. For dogs? Put some bacon in that hand.

Nothing but blue skies: Invites to join a new Twitter alternative are selling for $200 on eBay. Bluesky is backed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey in response to growing dissatisfaction with the Elon-run platform.

You’ve arrived: A tourist in Hawaii drove her rental Dodge Caravan into a harbor because her GPS directed her to do so. I’ve heard of going “as the crow flies,” but “as the fish swims” is a new one. 

Shop till you drop: A new light bulb at the bottom of Amazon’s Shopping app now takes you to its “Inspire” feed — aka TikTok for buying stuff. Watch videos from influencers featuring products you can purchase with a few clicks. Finally, a new way to waste time and money at the same time! 

For the social-savvy Gen Z-er in your life: Boardwalk Boutique Hotel in Aruba is hiring a social media creator for a one-month free stay, complete with airfare, car rental and a stipend. Apply by June 30.

EV battery blow-up: Another day, another battery fire … UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute just released a frightening test simulating a lithium-ion battery exploding in a residential garage. You have to see this! Watch it here.

Sound like a tech pro, even if you’re not one. Try my award-winning, daily podcast. Search for my last name with “K” wherever you get your podcasts and “Go Komando!”

Listen to my podcast, Kim Komando Today, here.

Have you seen charges for subscriptions you don’t remember signing up for? Either your kids got their hands on your credit card, or you’ve fallen victim to one of 11 malicious photo editing apps recently found on the Google Play Store.

Already at 620,000 installs, these apps make you look slimmer, remove imperfections and add filters. But it turns out, vanity comes at a price … 

Troy story

These apps deliver a subscription form of Trojan (malware disguised as a legitimate program) called Fleckpe. A sneaky trick: When you download a wallpaper or edit a photo, the malware opens a page in an invisible browser … and signs you up for a paid subscription service.

Delete these apps now

Google kicked them out of the Play Store, but be sure to check your phone for:

• Beauty Camera Plus 
• Beauty Photo Camera 
• Beauty Slimming Photo Editor 
• Fingertip Graffiti
• GIF Camera Editor 
• HD 4K Wallpaper 
• Impressionism Pro Camera 
• Microclip Video Editor 
• Night Mode Camera Pro
• Photo Camera Editor 
• Photo Effect Editor

To delete an app on your Android phone, long-press the app, then tap App Info > Uninstall.

Masters of disguise

Apps that can do a lot of damage (or steal your money) are disguised to look harmless, and the hackers behind them can even download legitimate apps and corrupt them before putting them back in the official app store. Wow.

Even if you don’t find any of these apps on your phone, there are countless others to watch out for. Follow my tips to stay safe.

Have you ever stopped to think about all the sensitive information stored on your computer? From passwords to legal documents and work-related files, there’s a lot the wrong person would love to get their hands on.

The good news is there’s a tool you can use to check for online threats like malware and viruses — and it’s super easy to use.

• Go to VirusTotal.com. 
• Enter a suspicious URL in the search bar to determine whether it’s safe to visit. The scanner will let you know instantly if it contains malware. 

Another way to double-check a site? Use common sense! Take a look at the entire URL. Hackers often create multiple versions of their generic sites and throw them online with strange names. 

Pro tip: Here’s a trick our fabulous graphic designer, Amber, uses: Hover over the site’s logo. A legit website will almost always link the image back to its homepage. Now, let me ask you, where else can you learn things like this?

Kim Komando Today is my daily podcast on all things tech. Take me on your walk, in the car, sitting at home or anywhere else. I break down the big tech stories and sprinkle in my trusted advice and tech tips only the pros know. Give me 30 minutes a day and you’ll be the tech-smartest version of yourself.

Don’t just take my word for it. I love this review: “I listen to this on my walk every day and I feel like it’s really great time spent — learning so much and Kim’s corny jokes sort of make me laugh! 😂”

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. They’ll download right to your phone or device so you can listen anytime you want. So sweet!

Memorial Day is right around the corner. This year is zooming by!

🏡 The answer: True. Warren Buffett lives in a five-bedroom, 6,750-square-foot house in Omaha, Nebraska, that he bought in 1958 for $31,500.

I sat next to Mr. Buffett at a luncheon when I was voted one of the 100 Most Influential Women in America. I was on my iPhone and he showed me his flip phone. I said, “They let you in here with that phone?” He smiled and said, “I still use a fax machine, too. And you know why? No one can hack me!” True, very true.

✅ Hey, do me a favor and follow me on social. I’m on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and everywhere else, too! — Kim