Happy Friday, friend. ​​A new study found that Airbnb hosts who flash a genuine grin in their profile photos rake on average about $700 more a year. From LinkedIn to Hinge, your expression is working overtime, quietly influencing who hires you, who messages you and who hits that “like.”

😁 Big smile = big payday. Let those pearly whites work for you. At the end, I’ve got the best AI apps for the perfect profile pic. I’m rooting for you!

🛑 Don’t let Big Tech decide what shows up in your inbox. If you’re seeing this, awesome. But to keep it that way, do this one quick thing: Hit “Reply” and leave me a comment. That simple action tells your email provider, “Hey, I want this content.” Otherwise, some algorithm might shove me into your spam folder and we both know, that’s not where I belong. — Kim

I don’t know about you, but when Friday hits, the last thing I want to do is scroll for an hour trying to find something to watch. Usually, I give up and rewatch The Office for the 10th time. 

Not this weekend. I made you a watch list, meticulously crafted between dopamine crashes, for the entertainment-decision-deficient among us. You’re welcome.

Here are 12 solid picks worth your time, plus a bonus you’ll want to add to your watch list.

🍸 The White Lotus (Max)

Luxury resorts, twisted guests and awkward tension. Start in Hawaii, jet to Italy in Season 2, and buckle up for Season 3 in Thailand. All packed with secrets, scandals and one perfectly timed death.

🏊‍♀️ Nyad (Netflix)

At 64, Diana Nyad swam from Cuba to Florida. No cage. Just grit. If you need motivation this weekend, this is it. Meanwhile, someone younger out there just pulled their back sneezing. 

💣 Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

Washed-up British spies solving real crimes? Yes, please. Gary Oldman leads this messy, brilliant MI5 reject crew.

🔥 Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime Video)

Spy drama meets situationship. Way better than that Brangelina movie we all lied about liking. 

🌊 Black Cake (Hulu)

A global mystery wrapped in family secrets. Rich storytelling, gorgeous locations and definitely a hidden gem.

👻 The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)

Think Succession with a Poe twist. One by one, this powerful family starts falling. Creepy and addictive.

🧑‍⚖️ Anatomy of a Scandal (Netflix)

British courtroom drama with twists that’ll keep you guessing. If you liked The Crown, this is your next fix.

💼 The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Behind the scenes of morning news with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Power plays and big egos, what’s not to love?

🌴 Palm Royale (Apple TV+)

Set in 1960s Palm Beach high society, this one is glitzy, juicy and totally over-the-top. Kristen Wiig shines.

👨‍👩‍👧 IF (Paramount+, Prime Video or rent)

Feel-good family movie about imagination and growing up, from John Krasinski. Sweet, funny and heartwarming.

🧠 The Social Dilemma (Netflix)

Social media: friend or foe? It’ll make you question every post, like, share and probably take you one scroll closer to deleting your apps. Watch it with your kids.

🐼 Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+)

Funny, raw and so very inspiring. This documentary pulls back the curtain on his life with Parkinson’s.

🎁 Bonus Pick: The New Look (Apple TV+)

Paris. Dior. Chanel. Drama. This WWII-era fashion saga is as stylish as it is intense. You’ll be hooked by Episode 1.

So there you go. No doom-scrolling required. Just kick back, hit play and enjoy something worth your screen time. Let me know your favorites. I’m always up for a good rec, too. 😉

StartMail is my pick for privacy-first email. It’s super easy to switch over your contacts and mail, or you can treat it as a fresh inbox for only your VIPs. Save 60% now with my special link.

🏠 Gotta be smarter than the scammers: A Michigan woman lost $2,500 after falling for a phony Facebook Marketplace listing. It had a tour video, she paid the security deposit, got the keys … and then showed up to a place that wasn’t even for rent. PSA: Do a reverse image search, verify the address on Google Maps and never pay with Zelle, Venmo or gift cards. 

🎬 Veo 2 just got a director’s cut: Google’s AI video tool now lets you shoot drone-style, erase logos and distractions like magic and even zoom out to create more scene than you filmed. Hollywood, meet Hal 9000. Simply amazing. 

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Teens on Facebook? Meta’s on it: From the “What took you so long?” department. New teen accounts come with parental controls baked in, no setup fuss. Meta says you’ll get eyes on screen time, friends lists and they can’t message strangers or tweak privacy settings without your say-so. Yea, right. Just like when we didn’t use fake IDs.

All it takes is one forged signature. Cybercriminals can snatch your home title, rack up loans in your name and leave you drowning in debt. Scary stuff. Get peace of mind with a free home title history report when you sign up with Home Title Lock using code KIM. You’ll also get a free 14-day trial of their Million Dollar Triple Lock Protection. Don’t wait until it’s too late.*

🤯 Not tech, but super interesting: Researchers found 22,000-year-old vehicle tracks at White Sands National Park. Yes, you read that right, 22,000 years ago. They believe it’s from a travois — a sled made with long sticks and a basket. That’s huge, since we thought transport tools only dated back to 4,000 BC.

🚓 Play stupid games, win stupid prizes: Devon Bart thought he could outsmart the cops. The 25-year-old was wanted for assault, but instead of hiding, he took to TikTok. He allegedly posted photos daring law enforcement to find him. He’s now in jail after sheriff deputies in Tennessee arrested him. Ouch. Next up on TikTok: “How I accidentally sped up a felony charge with a thirst trap.”

🐻 Meet the robobear ready to roar: Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department built a fake bear on a remote-controlled platform that charges at you going 35 mph. Truly the Teslabear nobody wanted. The test? See if you can whip out bear spray in time. Spoiler alert: Most people would be toast. Your best bet is to keep that spray holstered, and never in your backpack. Check out the incredible video.

😌 You made it to Friday. It’s time to unwind and pamper yourself.

• Shower and scroll with a phone holder (11% off) that keeps it safe and dry.
• Brighten your bathroom with an extra-soft rug (34% off) in 27 fun colors.
• On the go? Pack a rechargeable travel mirror (14% off) to look your best.
• These jade tools (50% off) reduce puffiness and reveal your natural glow.
• Get every last drop out of your bottles with an emptying kit ($17).

🧼 Number two: Grab a 12-pack of automatic toilet bowl cleaners (28% off) that do all the hard work for you.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Snap a photo of handwritten notes and upload it to Notion AI or ChatGPT with Vision. It’ll convert it into text or a to-do list. Finally, your chicken scratch notes get their PhD.

🔒 Privacy checkup: Let’s see how apps use your data. On your iPhone, head to Settings > Privacy & Security > App Privacy Report and toggle it on. For Android, go to Settings > Privacy > Privacy dashboard. Tap an app to change permissions if something doesn’t look right.

📝 Hey, teachers: Check out Khan Academy’s AI tutor, Khanmigo. It’s free for teachers and runs on OpenAI’s tech. Use it to whip up lesson plans, answer your students’ questions and flag any AI-generated work. Fun fact: “Conmigo” means “with me” in Spanish. Teachers finally get an assistant that isn’t a coffee machine and a deep sigh.

Lock down your device security: If you’re still browsing, shopping and working online without antivirus software, you’re making a mistake. My trusted pick is $19 for the first year.*

🤑 Swipe to earn: Take payments anywhere with a Square Reader. Your first one is free when you sign up. Just pick your connector (USB-C, Lightning), download the app, plug in to your phone and start swiping. Fees are 2.6% plus $0.10 per transaction. Cha-ching has a new sound, and it plugs into your phone.

🔍 Skip the search: Share your Messenger profile with your QR code so nobody needs to search for it. Open the Messenger app and tap Menu > QR code (top right icon). Hit Share to send it digitally so anyone can scan it to call or DM you. Change it anytime to keep your privacy safe.

📸 Not feeling photogenic today? Let AI do the heavy lifting. Use these AI tools to generate the perfect headshot: Canva, Fotor and PhotoAI can all whip up a profile pic that screams “approachable but competent” in just a few minutes.

🙁 Speaking of … The other day, I told Ian, “You need to do more chores around the house.” He said, “Can we change the subject?” I said, “OK. More chores around the house need to be done by you.” That made him not smile at all. I hope you did though.

Bye for now. Smile strategically. Trust your gut. And remember: You’re the reason autocorrect behaves. I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow with the absolute best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim

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