Hello on this shiny Sunday to all my Komando-ites. Did you get a new TV for Christmas? Getting rid of the old one is such a pain. Here’s an idea: Pack it away in the new one’s box, leave it on your porch and voila — porch pirates, to the rescue! Seriously, it worked for a guy on Reddit; I’ll share his video at the end of this issue. That reminds me … Retired pirates love yoga because of all the ex-sailing. (Oh, that was so bad, it was good!)

🫡 We have a big day of tech know-how ahead. If you’re loving The Current, do me a solid and send the link below to a pal. Appreciate you. — Kim

Here’s your 10-second CES recap: TVs are bigger and smarter, laptops are faster and lighter, and AI is everywhere. I sifted through the fluff to bring you the best and weirdest of this year’s consumer tech showcase.

The year of the robot: $3 trillion chipmaker Nvidia’s new AI model is called Cosmos. It’s open-source code (meaning anyone can use it) that simulates all the training data it takes to make a robot useful. Imagine detailed digital replications of homes, factories, roads or any other space a bot needs to learn to do its job.

Full battery in 15 minutes: That’s what Honda’s 0 Series concept EV promises. Too bad it looks like a weird sci-fi creation. Honda says its AI chip will handle fully autonomous control. It’ll be huge if someone can nail that; Tesla hasn’t been able to. I don’t see it happening by their 2026 deadline.

Imagine this at a coffee shop: JSAUX’s FlipGo Horizon laptops have a magnetic base that lets you snap on extra monitors — one on each side. Here’s where they lost me: Each monitor weighs 2.4 to 4 pounds. No one is going to lug that around.

Trypanophobia: That’s fear of needles, and if you have it, you’ll like this. FlowBeam’s BoldJet needle-free injection is a painless way to get a shot or give blood without the poke. Also, today I learned there are 16 billion single-use syringes and 16 billion needles thrown away every year. Dang.

Talk to me: VLC has been the go-to video player for Windows for years, since the built-in player stinks. Now it’s getting real-time subtitles in 100 languages powered by AI — no internet connection required.

I never imagined a waterless coffee maker: The $300 Kara Pod turns water in the air (humidity) into drinking water, then brews you up a cup of joe. Cool tech, but is your coffee gross if the air is musty?

Top the charts: Anker’s Soundcore Rave 3S speaker uses AI to remove the vocal tracks from any song so you can karaoke all your favorites instead of settling for “Love Shack” again. It includes wireless mics, too, to enhance your voice and add reverb. For $349, I might finally sound good!

I don’t see myself in this: Omnia is a smart mirror, scale and smartwatch hybrid. Stand on the base, and it’ll take your weight and measure your heart health, then it’ll pull in data from any other tracker you use. The AI assistant gives real-time feedback out loud. Reminds me of Lululemon’s Mirror, which was a total flop.

Closed captions IRL: Xander’s GlassesConnect AR specs use AI to transcribe speech and project the text right in front of you. So cool for someone with severely impacted hearing. The price is the big downside: $4,999.

What’s on your face? The Omi is an $89 mindreading wearable you stick on your face. I’m not kidding. It listens to all your conversations to help you organize action items, like when Bob in accounting asks for that report. Omi’s snooping includes your thoughts, like, “Send Bob the report at 4 p.m.” The battery lasts three days, and, again, it’s always listening.

ICYMI: More TV, smart home and AI finds at CES. I want the AI tub you can fill using just your phone or voice assistant.

Every year, CES reminds me how fun it is to work in tech. Not all of this will pan out, and some will be total hits. All I know for sure is I’ll have your back on how to protect your privacy if any of this gets popular!

Nearly half of U.S. adults have faced a cyberattack or digital scam attempt over the last year. It’s not a matter of “if” anymore; it’s a matter of when.

That’s why I trust and use TotalAV, the award-winning antivirus software that’s always one step ahead of the bad guys. TotalAV protects all your devices from malware, ransomware, phishing scams and whatever else they throw at you. It’s not just for techies; TotalAV is super easy to use and works quietly in the background so you can safely surf, shop and bank online.

Don’t wait until you become part of the statistics. Secure your tech now with my exclusive deal: Get your first year for just $19. You’ll be glad you did.

• Chris in Tennessee left his $75,000-a-year Ford mechanic job for a side hustle on JustAnswer. Now, he earns $170,000 working from a recliner. Nice!
• Ken in Indiana wants to unlock his late son’s phone to find answers about his unresolved death. He lost access in 2003 and refuses to give up.
• Jessica in Pennsylvania got hit by emails saying hackers took over her devices … and recorded videos of her on adult sites. Is it true?

Plus, Dan looks into Starlink, Tom says ChatGPT lies to him, Kelly wants to build an app to measure pupils, Tim hopes to block spam texts, Lyla needs a flight simulator for her son and so much more!

The LA fires: The sheer destruction is overwhelming, and it may be some time before we fully understand the lives lost and the toll taken. My heart is with everyone affected, and I’m keeping you all in my prayers. As a homeowner in an evacuation zone, I fear the worst for my own property, but material things pale in comparison to the loss of life and safety for so many. This 3D map allows you to zoom in and explore the impacted areas. It’s a stark reminder of the fires’ far-reaching devastation.

Start saving now: Microsoft is killing off Windows 10 in October. You can add 12 months of support (for $30); after that, an estimated 400 million PCs won’t meet the specs to upgrade. You’d better believe hackers will do anything and everything they can to exploit Windows 10.

When can iPhones and Androids text each other? Last month, the FBI said cross-platform messages are easy to hack. A leak shows Google is working on MLS encryption that’s better than the current RCS standard. They’ll have to test the heck out of this, then get Apple to play nice with it, too. Unless you’re texting someone secret spy stuff, don’t worry about it.

😎 Go play outside: Almost half the world might be nearsighted (it’s called “myopia”) by 2050 because kids are on their screens too much and don’t spend enough time outside. Researchers say just an hour in the sun a day could reduce the risk of myopia by 45% (paywall link). Sunlight triggers dopamine, which helps eyeballs grow correctly. Plus, that sweet vitamin D makes your eye tissues stronger.

Don’t like how ChatGPT “talks”? Custom personalities are coming soon. Traits include “Chatty,” “Skeptical” and “Forward-thinking.” Some already have these options available under “Customize ChatGPT.” I don’t yet, but you might!

I’m moose-tly excited: Robots can now walk through mud and snow using high-tech shoes modeled after moose hooves. The suction cup design lets them traverse rough terrain so they can help with agriculture, environmental monitoring and disaster response.

The real meaning of cell service: A lady in Mississippi accidentally texted the sheriff’s department instead of her drug dealer while trying to buy fentanyl. Yeah, it didn’t go well. She was arrested when she showed up to pick up the goods. I hope her one phone call in jail went better.

Don’t let me drone on: The U.S. has a fancy, new spy drone that can fly at 15,000 feet for 14 hours, even while carrying heavy equipment. Most military drones fly for eight hours, tops, so this is a game-changer. Combat teams will use it for recon and surveillance.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned: Singer Lily Allen went undercover on celebrity dating app Raya to figure out if her husband, David Harbour, was cheating on her. He was. She found his profile by setting her preference to women, then cross-referencing the women on the app to his following on Instagram. That’s skill.

Because you already spent enough money over the last two months.

• Did you know when humidifiers start smelling funky, it’s because of a buildup of bacteria? This humidifier cleaner ($6) gets rid of all that gunk.
• These garbage disposal cleaners smell so good. And they’re under $5.
• The inventor of the Scrub Daddy ($9) should get a Nobel Peace Prize. And whoever invented this Scrub Daddy holder ($9) should get one, too.
• Stamp a little dab of this toilet cleaning gel ($5) on the side of your toilet to banish rings.
• I love these reusable dish scrubbers ($8). They’re cute and let you get a really good grip on dishes.

Don’t forget: Amazon Basics lets you stock up on essentials for uber cheap. It’s great for school supplies, like glue and pencil boxes.

🎨 AI tip of the day: Use quotation marks to separate complex ideas in your prompts. For a piece of art, you could say “clouds in soft hues of purples and oranges” over a “lush forest with tall trees.” Without the quotes, your prompt might generate a jumbled mess; this way, you’re telling the bot the clouds are one thing and the forest is another. You can use this for anything, btw, not just art.

Look extra tech-savvy: You’re showing a pal something on your computer and need to switch to a different open program. Instead of using your mouse, use your keyboard. Alt + Tab (Windows) or Cmd  + Tab (Mac) will quickly cycle through everything you have open. Smart.

🔐 5 tools to lock down your cybersecurity: I work with brands I trust to keep you secure. Hit this page to see the tools I recommend.

What do you mean, “only 7,203 steps”? If your smartwatch data seems way off, it might be a sizing issue. Most accuracy problems are caused by loose-fitting watches that slip around on your arm. Buy one with straps you can adjust. I like these for Apple Watches.

📊 Time travel … sorta: If you use Google Docs or Microsoft OneDrive, you can go back to earlier versions of your work (or someone else’s). In Google Docs, head to File > Version History > See Version History. In OneDrive, it’s under File > Info > Version History.

That’s refreshing: Refresh rates (found in your computer’s display settings) control how things look on your screen. For regular work and browsing, go with 60Hz. For gaming or video editing, try 120Hz or 144Hz. Competitive gamers use 240Hz or higher. Now you know!

If you don’t innovate, you’ll evaporate: You need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Find out how AI can streamline your operations. Take a free test drive of Oracle’s Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim.*

👩‍🔬 Be a scientist: Yes, you. Zooniverse needs research volunteers to help find disks in the universe, investigate woodpeckers and other really great things.

Stop: Spilling your water, and pick up a better tumbler lid.

Mix: Two scoops of collagen* into your coffee, tea or smoothie. It’s an easy way to strengthen your joints and get extra protein. Bonus: It smoothes wrinkles, too.

🍜 Upgrade: Your ramen game with a yummy viral soup recipe.

Double-check: That your air fryer isn’t spying on you.

Plan: Your next getaway. Let ChatGPT do the hard work.

Here’s that porch pirate video. I wish we could see the TV thief’s face after realizing he ran away with trash. If you do this trick, just make sure you have a doorbell camera recording it so we can all point and laugh.

🍪 Smart cookies like you are the reason I love writing this newsletter. I recently received a note from a reader (I wish they’d left their name!). They said their phone rang, and the caller ID showed their bank’s name. The person on the other end claimed their card had been hacked.

“His mistake was while trying to ‘verify’ my debit card,” the reader shared. “He asked for the first four numbers of my card, then, to further verify, he wanted the rest of the numbers, expiration date and three-digit code. My reply was 0u812.” 😂

🍽️ Before I go … You’re gonna use this one (say it out loud if you don’t get it):​​

Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Dishes.
Dishes who?
Dishes a bad joke.

Need help with something tech? Drop your questions in my members-only Q&A Forum, and let me and my team of trustworthy tech pros guide you. Here’s a link for 30 days free on me. Thanks for all your support, and I’ll be back tomorrow with the best darn tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim