Cheers to a lovely Tuesday, friend! PSA (or should I say TSA?) for holiday travelers: Wondering if you can carry a frozen turkey, gravy or cranberry sauce in your carry-on? Ask the TSA before you leave the house. Just text “travel” to 275872, and someone will answer your question if you need help.

🦃 Gravy and cranberry sauce are considered liquids, so don’t cram(berry) your carry-on with more than 3.4 ounces. Leave the turkey; carrying it on the plane will be a cluster‑pluck.

Are you listening? If you like this newsletter, you’ll love my podcasts. Just look for the play button sprinkled throughout this newsletter. Pro tip: Reading this email on your computer? Open my podcast in another browser tab, hit play, then go about your business. That way, you’ll always be tech-ahead and never tech‑behind! — Kim

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are less than a week away, and I’m planning to finish up the rest of my shopping list. I’m also watching my deliveries and so should you.

Porch pirates are going all out to steal your stuff this year. One thief even disguised themself as a bag of trash to swipe someone’s orders. That’s pretty funny, but what’s next sure isn’t.

Pirates are hacking tracking numbers

Thieves are hacking into AT&T and FedEx records to watch tracking updates and swoop in on your packages minutes after they arrive. Apple iPhones are their No. 1 target, because AT&T doesn’t require a signature to deliver them. (I share how to change that below.)

Plenty of thieves just wait and watch or follow drivers and strike once the truck stops. The average gift stolen this year is worth $204. That’s way more than a stocking stuffer.

Free ways to protect your packages

Request a signature: Have someone home to receive the package, especially if it’s something expensive. Amazon can email you a secure passcode you have to give to the delivery driver in person for pricey deliveries. Here’s how. A thief won’t have that code!

👉 Use these links to manage your FedEx and UPS delivery preferences and opt into tracking updates.

Get it right to the garage: With Amazon In-Garage Delivery, drivers scan your package for a one-time access code to open your garage door — no repeat access allowed. All drivers undergo a background check; see if it’s available in your area.

Send it to the office: If you can get packages sent to the front desk at work, do it. Just make sure you’re not getting anything delivered you wouldn’t want your coworkers to see. 😳

Try an Amazon Locker: It’s like a smart P.O. Box. Choose a locker, and when your package arrives, Amazon sends a one-time code to your phone to access it. There are 40,000 of them across the country, and they’re in most cities. Use this map to find one near you.

Outsmart ‘em

• A video doorbell like the Ring Doorbell Plus lets you see packages being delivered and speak through the intercom remotely to deter thieves (or at least capture evidence of the crime). As always, you’re better off with a complete security system.*
• The more cams, the better. Thieves don’t know these cheap ones aren’t really recording. (Get a four-pack for under $19!)
• A smart lock like the Eufy C220 gives delivery drivers temporary access to your back garden, garage or hallway via a single-use code.
• A storage bench looks nice on the patio and hides your stuff from someone walking by.
• A porch lockbox like this Keter Delivery Box works well for bigger packages and looks nice!
• Signs are still effective. They’re an inexpensive, proven deterrent.

If someone still gets away with your stuff: Check your credit card benefits. Call the number on the back of your card and ask about purchase or theft protection.

📸 I set up a quick reply on my doorbell camera so it now says, “Smile big for the cops!” Porch pirates don’t stick around for the photoshoot.

💰 Give the gift of gadgets without breaking the bank. These deals are live right now:

• These over-the-ear Bose headphones (43% off) are all the buzz. They’re noise-canceling and come in seven different colors. The blue and lilac are limited edition, so they’ll go fast.
• The newest Amazon Fire TV Stick (56% off) is under $25 right now. 4K can be a New Year’s resolution. 😏
• Heated eye massagers (42% off, $52) are so relaxing, I wouldn’t blame you for buying a second one for yourself.
• A Tile tracker (20% off a two-pack) is perfect for the person who’s always losing their keys (and mind). If they have an iPhone, go with an AirTag (17% off).
• A smart bird feeder (39% off) records all winged visitors and can identify over 6,000 different species. I want one!
• I was floored when I saw the Shark robot vacuum is 50% off. Ah, the gift of fewer chores.

🚨 Use Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail or Yahoo? No joke, three out of every four Black Friday-themed emails are scams. The scammers’ goal? To steal your credit card info or plant malware. Brands most impersonated include Amazon, Shein and Costco. Stay safe: Always double-check the sender’s email address (not just the sender’s name) before you click.

Speaking of Black Friday: Shopping apps offering exclusive deals ask for a whole lot of permissions tied to your data. Key permissions to watch: Location, camera, files, contacts and microphone. As a rule of thumb, reject unnecessary permissions; you can always grant them later if you actually need a specific feature in an app.

📶 Let go: D-Link’s VPN routers have hit their end-of-life, making it an easy way for hackers to enter your network. No security patches are coming. If cybercriminals get in, they can spy on your activity and steal your passwords or credit card info. Unsure if you’re affected? Contact D‑Link.

⚠️ Poof! $24,000, gone: A malicious Chrome extension originating from a fake NFT game called Orbit Unit slipped right past Microsoft Windows Defender. It installed monitoring software, tricked the victim’s computer into ignoring 2FA and cracked his password. This is why real-time protection is so important. My pick is TotalAV.* Free AV isn’t good enough.

I’d tell a joke about unemployment, but it doesn’t work: Consulting firm EY is using an AI-powered avatar to prep job-seekers for face-to-face interviews. eVe answers questions about the hiring process and can also help candidates decide whether to take a job offer. I can’t imagine it’s giving unbiased replies.

“People are not ready”: We have a whole generation of iPad kids, and now, an ex-Google CEO is warning about AI kids. Eric Schmidt says your child’s future bestie could be a bot. He also said “normal people” don’t get AI. Good point, but that’s why you have me! If you’re wondering about AI, I can help.

🛒 AI-tention, shoppers: The Caper Cart is wired with AI-powered cameras and scanners that apply coupons, weigh your produce and pay right from your handlebar. Instacart owns it and paid around $350 million for the tech. If only the carts could return themselves.

All I want for Christmas is a capybara: No, not me! The semiaquatic rodents that live up to 12 years and weigh up to 150 pounds have stolen the internet’s heart with viral videos. In a Reddit post, a 24-year-old brother asked if he was a jerk for thinking it’s just a TikTok phase his 16-year-old sister will grow out of. Spoiler: She will.

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.

Synced your phone to a rental car? Wipe your data so the next driver doesn’t get your texts. On the car’s infotainment system, go to Settings and look for a factory reset option. Every car’s system is different, so check the manual or ask the rental company if you can’t find it.

📏 Resize your iPhone apps: Want bigger or smaller app icons? Long-press on the home screen, tap Edit in the upper left corner, then hit Customize. A menu will pop up — choose Small for compact icons or Large for bigger ones. FYI: Selecting Large hides the app names for a cleaner look.

✈️ PSA for if your holiday flight is canceled: You’re entitled to a full refund or compensation for any controllable cancellation caused by the airline, like a maintenance or crew issue. The weather, though, is a wholly different beast. Be sure to download your airline’s official app for alerts and notifications about flights and gate changes.

Work in sales? Do what smartypants salespeople do and reach out on LinkedIn. Even folks who ignore cold emails are likely to see their LinkedIn messages. Hiring at your company? Use my link to post a job for free.* Sweet.

Focus on what’s important: Android phones now let you choose to record a single app instead of your entire screen. In Quick Settings, tap Screen record > Record one app. Then, choose the app you want recorded. Now, Grandma won’t see your texts while you’re trying to show her how Gmail works.

Cut through legal jargon: AI can translate complicated legal docs into something you’ll actually understand. Say you’re signing a lease and the contract is confusing. Copy and paste the text into ChatGPT and ask for a simpler explanation. When in doubt, check with a lawyer since AI is far from perfect.

Need to fill your tank? The free Upside app gives you cash back on gas, groceries and dining out. I got $10 back on groceries and $0.55 back on every gallon of gas. Download Upside* and use promo code Kim to get an extra $0.25 back for every gallon on your first tank of gas. Heck yeah.

Make the geek in your life laugh with a … $12.99 thumb drive. It’s so bad, it’s good.

It’s about to be the busiest travel week on record. The TSA expects to screen nearly 18.3 million people from today through Monday, Dec. 2. Scammers are busy, too, sending fake TSA PreCheck offers via email. TSA PreCheck renewals can be done online, but first-time enrollments always require an in-person visit. Stay sharp — TSA.gov/precheck is the only legit site.

😂 A photon is going through airport security. The TSA agent asks if he has any luggage. The photon says, “No, I’m traveling light.”

Another issue of the best tech newsletter in the USA? Check! Done! ✅ Need a hand with something digital? Drop it right here in a note to me. I read ‘em all myself. Catch you tomorrow! — Kim