🎉 Happy New Year, friend! It’s a beautiful day to daydream about the great year ahead. Below, you’ll find tech tips, tricks and gadgets to make hitting your goals a reality. And, in case no one has told you lately, you’re awesome just as you are — none of that “New Year, new me” stuff … unless you really want to!

I’d love to help you in 2025, whether it’s with tech, getting your business in a better place or otherwise. Drop me a note if you need a hand with something in your life. I read every single one. Now, let’s get you tech‑ahead! — Kim

Whoa, 2024 was a big year. I went to Japan for the first time and Hawaii for the 70th time, really. I used to live there part-time. I became obsessed with a new hobby (sailboat racing in my Harbor 20 that I named “Goddess”), started doing Pilates three times a week to get stronger, took my business to the next level and set the foundation to launch another business with my son, Ian.

Look through your pictures, and I bet you’ll be reminded of a lot of fun moments from your year, too. Amateurs scroll aimlessly to relive 2024. That’s not you, dear one. Here’s how to put together a digital memory book, and then, because I want you to always take your tech to the next level, how to show it on your TV.

🤖 Google Photos

Google jumped on the yearly recap bandwagon with a “highlight reel.” In Google Photos, swipe through your featured memories carousel at the top of the Photos view. Each reel has a colorful 2024 background.

It grabs your best shots and spices them up with fun graphics and cinematic effects. You’ll see your …

• Longest photo streak: Get competitive with your friends.
• Year in smiles: All the grins you captured.
• Top faces: Your all-star cast right here.
• Year in color: What was your palette?
• Vibe: Find out your top three personas.

Pro tip: Make sure you have Face Groups turned on so Google recognizes your people (and animals).

🍎 Apple Memories

Apple doesn’t have a year-in-review feature, but iOS 18 introduced the Memory Movie, a personalized film from your photo library. All you need is an iPhone 15 Pro or later. Got an older iPhone? You can still make a memory slideshow but without the AI magic.

• iPhones with Apple Intelligence: Scroll to the Memories section in Photos and tap Create Memory Movie. Add a prompt like “summer vacation 2024,” and AI will pull together photos based on what you wrote. Tweak the photos, add some filters and your masterpiece is done.
• Older iPhones: Create a new album in Photos and add at least five. Then, go back to the Albums page, press the three-dot icon next to your new album and pick Play Memory Video. Easy‑peasy.

📸 Instagram

Instagram’s 2024 recap is a simple but cute collage of your favorite photos. You can share it as a story or Reel, like a digital scrapbook.

Open Instagram, hit the + at the bottom, and you’ll get a notification for Your year in 2024 collage. Follow the prompts on the screen to share.

If you dismissed it already, no worries. Open Instagram > + > Story > tap the square in the bottom left corner with your photos. At the top, choose 2024 Collage. From here, choose your favorite photos and hit Next. Tap the icons at the top to add effects, text and stickers to jazz it up. Done!

▶️ Want to show your pictures on your TV?

It makes a fun background when you have friends and family over. Get the steps here. Speaking of, did you hear about my camera’s New Year’s resolution? It’s 4K. (Come on, that was good.)

AI is changing the game, and small to large businesses are transforming at lightning speed. But here’s the good news: It’s not too late to get in on the action and take your business to the next level. That’s where Oracle comes in.

• Simple AI integration: Oracle makes it easy to bring AI into your business — no headaches, no fuss.
• Top-tier power: Oracle uses Nvidia GPUs, the best for processing power, so your AI solutions run like a dream.
• Affordable: Get more bang for your buck, with high performance at a lower cost than other cloud providers.
• Built to grow: Your business is always changing, and Oracle will grow right along with you, offering scalable solutions.
• Hands-off maintenance: Don’t worry about the techy stuff — Oracle handles updates and infrastructure management so you can focus on what really matters.

You know AI is the future — now’s your chance to cut your cloud bill in half with Oracle. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.

🇨🇳 Communist China hacked the U.S. Treasury: They stole a key from a third-party cybersecurity firm called BeyondTrust (ironic name) on Dec. 8 to take a good, long look and steal a ton of unclassified docs. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and FBI are still sussing out how bad the breach was. China denies everything, of course.

39,000 more vehicles recalled: The latest round includes Volvo C40 electric crossovers, Mercedes-Benz E 350 and 450 models, Ram 1500s, and the Ford F‑150 Lightning. Instead of wading through lists, download the free SaferCar app that alerts you to recalls as they happen.

🛜 Thanks for your service: Looks like Google secretly used phones for an interesting project. Researchers turned millions of Androids into tiny stations to map the ionosphere — 37 to 190 miles up, where space particles mess with GPS systems, leaving gaps in places like South America and Africa. It’s good the service is getting better for folks who live there, but isn’t it creepy Google can just flip a switch like that?

Can AI save Facebook? Meta hopes so. They’re rolling out AI avatars (paywall link) to pull in younger people. Robo-influencers are all the rage. Snapchat and TikTok are jumping on the bandwagon, too. It sounds strange, but I’ve read some of these AI-based virtual influencers make $10,000 per post. Maybe I’m in the wrong business.

Cue the “Jeopardy!” music: This company added a 27-inch LCD screen to its new microwave to bombard you with ads. The answer: Who is LG? Nothing’s sacred. They’re following Samsung’s lead by putting screens on everything as a way to make extra cash. I’ll keep my “dumb” microwave.

Your very own Rosey: Nvidia, the $3 trillion AI chip giant, is betting on robotics as the next big thing. Soon, they’re launching the Jetson Thor, a new “brain” designed for robots. The Jetson line includes this teeny-tiny AI computer. The robotics biz is expected to jump from $78 billion to $165 billion by 2029. I want one! Do you?

💡 Don’t go it alone. Sometimes, a simple tool can take your goals from “impossible” to “no biggie.”

• Save money: A smart light switch (33% off, $30) cuts your electric bill by letting you turn off lights from your phone. It works with Alexa and Google Home, too.
• Get better sleep: A white noise machine (47% off) blocks out all the little creaks and noises so you can sleep easier. Plus, this one’s under $20 right now.
• Lose weight: A mini pedal exerciser lets you stay active while sitting at your desk or vegging out on your couch. Or try a $100 walking treadmill when you’re watching TV or working.
• Drink more water: Get a smart water bottle that reminds you to take a slug of the mug. It glows when you should take a sip!
• Exercise your brain: Start every day with a new brainbuster with this ”Jeopardy!” day-to-day calendar (50% off, $9).
• Get creative: This $8 embroidery kit is great for beginners. Already know how? Try a woodcarving kit!
• Pray more: I like this book that gives daily devotionals. If you scroll down, there are several more to choose from you might like.

What are you tackling in 2025? Even if all you have is a vague idea, AI can help you with an action plan. Here are a few prompts to try with ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude.

• “I have a goal for 2025 to [fill in the blank]. Can you help me make it SMART?” (SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time‑related.)
• “You’re a life coach who wants to help me have my best year yet. Help me figure out some goals for 2025. Ask me questions one at a time to help me decide what to focus on.”
• “My goal is [fill in the blank]. What are some obstacles that might come up and ways I can overcome them? Give me specific examples for each obstacle.”
• “I want to [fill in the blank], but it feels overwhelming, and I don’t know where to start. Can you help me by breaking it down into more manageable tasks?”

⭐ AI isn’t going anywhere: Instead of sticking your head in the sand, make this the year you embrace AI. You’ll get daily tips here in this newsletter and, coming soon, my AI 101 guide for total newbies.

In the meantime, give this list of AI trends for 2025 a read and grab NetSuite’s free knowledge drop, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.”* You’ll sound smart (and know what you’re talking about!) when it comes up in conversation.

When I saw this picture, I knew I just had to share it with you! Mystic Aquarium’s green sea turtle, Charlotte, suffers from “bubble-butt syndrome,” a cute name for a serious spinal injury that partially paralyzed his back flippers. Here he is in his fancy, new 3D-printed harness that will help other turtles with the same condition survive in the wild.

👣 6-6-6 walking challenge for 2025: It’s all over social media. The fitness challenge includes a 60-minute walk every day at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. Start with a six-minute warm-up, then 54 minutes of brisk walking, and finish with a six-minute slow walk to cool down. That’s a lot of steps, so build up to it if you’re starting from zero!

😂 Here’s one to share with your friends: My New Year’s resolution is going great! I went to the gym this morning, and I’ve already lost 10 pounds. Seriously, I have no idea where I misplaced those dumbbells.

Go forth and enjoy your first day of 2025. See you back here tomorrow with the best newsletter in the USA! — Kim