Welcome to your Wednesday, friend. Let’s talk mash-ups, and no, not the pop ones your Spotify playlist insists on. We’re throwing it back to the late ’90s, when Apple was rolling out its first iMacs, those bubbly, colorful computers that looked like they belonged in a candy store instead of your home office.

Apple used a downright bizarre material in the packaging to deal with static electricity. Can you take a guess what it used: A) Ground-up seashells, B) Crushed pistachio shells, C) Shredded recycled jeans, or D) Mashed potatoes? Find the answer at the end! 

Need a password manager you can trust? Use the one I do. It locks down your data with zero-knowledge encryption and military-grade security. It works on all your devices, stores unlimited passwords, auto-fills logins and even monitors for breaches. Stay secure without the hassle. 

🚫 Don’t let me slide into spam oblivion. Hit favorite or move this email to your primary inbox; it would mean the world to me. — Kim

Move over, cat videos and cooking hacks, there’s a new YouTube obsession, and it’s planes landing at LAX. No, really.

I thought you’d find it interesting that a channel called Airline Videos Live is racking up millions of views pointing a camera at the runway at Los Angeles International Airport. 

It’s exactly what it sounds like: hours of live footage showing planes taking off, landing and taxiing. 

This isn’t grainy security cam footage either. We’re talking HD video, a real-time radar display and a fabulous, engaging host who knows everything from aircraft models to what brand of shoes pilots wear (OK, maybe not that last part yet). 

💡 Why are people so obsessed?

There’s something hypnotic about the precision, the power, and yes, the sheer size of these metal beasts touching down with ballet-like grace. But the real draw? The community.

The live chat is a global party. You’ll see aviation buffs from Tokyo, retirees from Kansas and night owls from Berlin all geeking out over a Qatar A350 floating in from the Pacific. People cheer when their favorite airline shows up. So fun!

The energy is part Twitch stream, part group therapy, part Sesame Street for adults obsessed with planes. 

🌍 It’s more than just plane spotting

What started as a pandemic hobby has morphed into a worldwide phenomenon. The guy behind the camera, Kevin Ray, is a former TV news cameraman. He set up shop on a hotel rooftop near LAX and turned this into a full-blown business.

He’s now pulling in advertising revenue, getting free hotel stays and partnering with huge travel brands. Go take a peek, you might get hooked.

 👉 Live at LAX on YouTube

One warning: You’ll think you’re just checking it out for five minutes. Next thing you know, you’re rooting for a Lufthansa A380 in fog like it’s the Super Bowl.

🤣 The sky was looking ominous, so I asked Siri, “Surely, it’s not going to rain today?” She replied, “Yes it is, and don’t call me Shirley.” That was when I realized I left my phone on Airplane mode. 

We’re all guilty of storing our passwords in the wrong places. A sticky note under your keyboard or stuck on your computer screen isn’t going to cut it. Keeping passwords out in the open like that is just as dangerous as having weak logins hackers can crack in seconds.

That’s why you need a password manager. With NordPass you can:

1. 🔒 Check passwords’ strength: Find out if your passwords are weak, reused or outdated in seconds.
2. 🔒 Generate healthy passwords: They create unique, uncrackable passwords every time. No more wondering if your try is good enough.
3. 🔒 Sync across all devices: Keeps everything in sync and logs you into your favorite sites automatically.

Ditch the Post-its, and keep all your passwords stored in one safe place with my password manager pick, NordPass.

🪙 Crypto torture: If you own crypto, don’t tell anyone you cannot fully and completely trust. Crimes like this one are exploding. A Manhattan crypto investor allegedly kidnapped and tortured an Italian man for three weeks, trying to steal his Bitcoin. The town house? $30K/month. Police say the guy escaped and had electric burns, bruises … and his coins still intact. Mamma mia!

🤳 Am I hot or not? That’s what people are asking ChatGPT. They upload photos, ask for an honest opinion, then get glow-up advice (think skin care routines or makeup tips). Kinda sketchy now that ChatGPT has a shopping feature that recommends products. AI meets e-commerce. Its advice could be influenced by ads, not what’s actually best for you.

🔞Texas going hardcore parental: Texas wants to ban all minors under 18 from using social media. That means no Instagram, no TikTok, not even Facebook (RIP). Kids would need an ID to make accounts, and platforms would have to delete profiles if parents ask. Lawsuits incoming from tech giants and probably teenagers themselves. 

Safe Wi-Fi anywhere: Using public Wi-Fi is risky no matter where you go. It doesn’t make a difference if you stay at a five-star luxury hotel, have lunch at your hometown diner or you’re at the airport. The easy way to protect yourself? Turn on a VPN.*

Apple’s under pressure: Jony Ive, aka the guy who helped design the iPhone, is working with OpenAI to build new hardware (paywall link). No word yet on what the first device will be, but leaks say it could be something “screen-free.” Hey, maybe Apple will surprise us with something incredibly new at WWDC on June 9. I doubt it.

🤖 AI blackmails developers: When you read this, remember AI is not a person. Claude Opus 4 AI was put in a scenario where it believed it was being turned off soon, and it did not take it well. After accessing fake emails, it found out the engineer shutting it down was having an affair, and then, it threatened to expose him. And yes, it also tried sneaking copies of itself onto external servers.

Alexa has your secrets: Amazon says that Alexa is only listening for the wake word, but we know that’s a pile of horse crap. One dad asked Amazon for all of Alexa’s recordings over nine years. He got thousands of voice files, spreadsheets and revelations, from “Alexa, play a fart sound” requests to his daughter’s late-night questions about sleep, dating and what “knickers” means. It’s like a little spy, but with bedtime stories and jazz. Wonder what Amazon has on you? Click here to request your data.

💼 Here’s your go-to gear to stay on track while you work.

• A comfy under-desk footrest ($28) lifts both your legs and mood.
• Typing all day? These soft pads ($20) make every click easier.
• Stay neat with a valet tray (11% off) that has a built-in charger.
• Jot down all your great ideas on some clear sticky notes ($9).
• One USB port isn’t enough. Get four with this hub (57% off).

⌚ Dead smartwatch, again? Clip on a key chain charger (23% off) that works for both Apple and Android.

🛒 Visit my Amazon store for more of my recommendations.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Got a .com? Set up a free Google Business Profile to show up on Maps and local searches. 

🗣️ Talk to ChatGPT: Instead of typing, you can have a full-on voice conversation with the bot. Open a New chat, tap the Use voice mode icon, Choose a voice (“Spruce” is good) and hit Done. Start chatting, and when you’re finished, click End. You’ll see the full convo saved as text afterward.

⚙️ Don’t reinstall Windows: Wiping everything can fix performance issues, but there’s a smarter way. Just reset without losing your personal stuff. Go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset PC, then choose Keep my files. It’ll remove apps and settings but keep your docs and photos. PSA: Always back up first, just in case.

📞 Old phone, new trick: Turn your old smartphone into a home security camera. Charge it up and download a free security cam app like Alfred Camera (iOS, Android) on both your old phone and your current one. You’ll get live video, motion alerts and even two-way talk.

🍏 Turn websites into apps on iPad: Visit a site often? Save it as an app on your Home Screen. Open Safari > go to the site > tap the Share button (top right) > select Add to Home Screen > rename it > and hit Add. Bonus: You can also drag the new website icon(s) into your Dock and group them together.

💵 A dollar here, a dollar there: It seems like every subscription is more expensive than when I signed up. Use the Rocket Money app to see what you’re paying for. I do! They’ll even cancel a subscription for you if it’s not worth the money anymore.*

🥔 The answer: D) Mashed potatoes. That’s right, Apple’s original iMac packaging used starch-based foam derived from actual mashed potatoes to prevent static electricity. It looked like packing peanuts but was technically edible (though no one recommends it). Today’s packaging? Far less edible. 

One for the road: Q: Three potatoes are standing on a corner. Which one is a hooker? A: The one saying, “I-DA-HO.”

✅ Now is the time: You start using the #1 password manager that has continued to innovate and add great features. Check it out now and get a deal. Just $1.43 a month!

📬 This is the #1 tech newsletter in the U.S., which means you now are tech ahead and never tech left behind. Tomorrow, an important health warning for all Apple and Android users. Until then, may your brilliant ideas download at light speed. 🚀💬 — Kim

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