Welcome to your Saturday, friend. Remember when people just argued about politics or pineapple on pizza? Simpler times. These days, one of the internet’s longest-running feuds is … how to pronounce “GIF.” Is it a hard G like “gift” or a soft one, like peanut butter’s PR dream, “jiff”? 

☝️ Well, the guy who created the GIF would know. Is it? A) Like “gift,” B) Like “jiff,” C) Either is fine, or D) When asked, he said, “I’m a nerd. Who gives a rat’s?” The correct way to pronounce it is at the end.

“Are password managers really safe?” It’s not just about hackers, it’s about control. If your passwords are saved in your browser or scribbled on sticky notes, you’re putting your entire digital life at risk. The password manager I use is built for serious protection and puts you in the driver’s seat.

🙋‍♀️ Don’t gatekeep the good stuff. Forward this newsletter to that person who still types Google into Google. You know the one.

How to make any USB drive self-destruct 

“Kim, I’m paranoid about losing my USB drive. Is there any way to make it so if someone steals it, they can’t see or open anything?” — Dave in Denver

Dave, losing a USB drive isn’t just annoying. It’s the secret nightmare of anyone who’s ever stored files they’d rather not see on Reddit 10 minutes later. 

Here’s how to make your flash drive digitally self-destruct.

The secret weapon

VeraCrypt is a free tool that doesn’t merely slap a password on your files. It completely locks down your entire USB with heavy-duty encryption that’s virtually impossible to crack. It works on Mac, Windows and Linux.

🔐 Step 1: Encrypt everything (the right way)

• First, download VeraCrypt.
• Install it and encrypt the entire USB drive, not just a folder labeled “Totally Not Important Stuff.” 
• Pick a strong password. The longer and more random, the better.

Now, if someone plugs your drive into their computer, all they’ll see is a scrambled mess unless they know your password.

💣 Step 2: Hide a secret partition

You can also create a hidden volume inside your encrypted drive. Basically, a vault within a vault.

• You create two volumes: One decoy vault holds fake but boring files (tax documents, cat photos, recipes you’ll never cook).  
• If someone forces you to unlock it (think: bossy thief), you open the decoy.

Your real private files stay hidden, even against forensic snooping. Steps at the links.

Experts only, please

If you want to go hardcore, set up a script to automatically wipe the drive after a certain number of wrong password attempts. Warning: It’s risky.

If you’re prone to forgetting your password, this is like Russian roulette but for your files. You’ll find the steps below.

The links you need

• Get the program. Here’s the link to download it.
• Need a hand? Look at this beginner’s tutorial.
• Stuck on some part? Use the VeraCrypt support forums.

And if you labeled your drive “IRS Training Video – PowerPoint Edition,” I salute you.

Because you’re my people

There are some quirky USB drives to spice up your digital life.

• I love this literal thumb drive (9% off) for my fellow pun enthusiasts.
• There’s a skeleton-shaped drive (10% off) to guard your digital secrets.
• This one looks like a cartoon duck ($9).
• A retro heart key drive (5% off) makes encrypting files feel romantic.
• Check out a drift jar drive ($10). It’s like a message in a bottle for 32 GB. 

What is the difference between USA and USB? One connects to your computer and accesses all your data. The other is an industry standard. 🕵🏻‍♀️

Our accounts are all tied to different passwords, I hope! But we are all guilty of sharing our streaming passwords, at the very least. Emailing or texting your passwords, including dropping them into a group chat… Big mistake! Hackers love when you make it that easy.

That’s why I recommend using a trusted password manager like NordPass. It lets you share passwords safely and securely. It goes even further and helps protect your digital life with tools like email masking and the Password Health tool, which lets you know when your passwords are weak or reused. 

Plus, NordPass does more than just manage passwords. It encrypts and stores your credit card details for fast autofills.  It also automatically fills in personal info like your name, address, and phone number.

🎭 Deepfakes just got sneakier: It’s getting harder to figure out if that person is real or not. A good way to spot them used to be skin color changes that matched a heartbeat. Bad news: New AI can mimic those. How can you tell? The person’s facial features are too perfect, or they worked at CGI Fridays.

Third Neuralink implant is in: This time, it’s a dad with ALS who’s fully paralyzed, and he’s also the first nonverbal patient to get the chip. Brad posted on X, using only his brain to type a message thanking Elon Musk. And get this: He even edited a video with his mind and used AI to bring back his old voice. Amazing.

📵 Phones down, eyes up: That’s the YMCA’s new water safety campaign for parents this summer. Why? Drowning is the number one cause of death for kids ages 1 to 4, and it often happens within 25 yards of a distracted parent. It’s usually silent, with no splashes, and can happen in 30 seconds or less. I know there’s someone you need to share this with. 

Down under deception: Most listeners in Australia thought “Thy” from “Workdays with Thy” was a real radio host for six months. The truth that she’s actually an AI from ElevenLabs only came out after some listeners dug into her backstory. Thy’s next career move? Running for office.

📈 Teens are using ChatGPT for stocks: They’re running prompts to see where their money could land in a few years if they invest now. Take 15-year-old Ryan, up $6,000 after throwing his $800 paychecks into Bitcoin and MicroStrategy. Ambitious? Sure. Kids these days are skipping lawn mowing hustles and going straight to leveraged ETFs.

Robot strawberries: In Virginia, a vertical farm is growing 4 million pounds of strawberries a year indoors, on two-story towers, with no soil, no bees and a whole lot of AI. The system analyzes 10 million+ data points a day. It’s less “Old MacDonald,” more “Black Mirror: Produce Edition.” Can’t wait for my future salad to come with bug patch notes.

🌳 Transform your yard without breaking a sweat: Fast Growing Trees takes out the hassle and guesswork. Just tell them your zip code, and they’ll match you with the perfect trees and shrubs for your climate. They ship straight to your door, no messy garden center trips required. I picked up an avocado tree, and it’s thriving! Use promo code KIM to save an extra 15%.*

😴 Here’s your A-list of bedroom upgrades for top-tier zzz’s.

• Wake up without bedhead with a two-pack of sleep bonnets ($13).
• Can’t reach your nightstand? Grab a handy bedside caddy ($16.49).
• These cooling gel pillows ($46) are great for back and side sleepers.
• Guests coming over? This air mattress (20% off) has a built-in pump.
• A four-pack of bedsheet organizers (40% off) keeps your linens tidy.

🌃 Cosmic dreams: Turn your ceiling into a starry sky with a galaxy projector (44% off) that looks like a cute astronaut.

🛒 Visit my Amazon store for more of my recommendations.

🎉 You’re invited! This weekend, my award-winning national radio show is broadcasting on 420+ stations across the U.S., and I’d love for you to join the fun. I’m talking tech tips, digital life hacks, wild stories I can’t fit in the newsletter and taking calls from listeners just like you. Find your local station or get the podcast.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Go to www.archive.ph to view expired or paywalled web pages. Not everything is there, of course, but it’s worth the shot.

⬇️ The drop zone: Got a new Mac, and AirDrop isn’t working? It’s not on by default. Open Finder > AirDrop. If your Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is turned off, press that button to turn it on. When it’s blue, it’s ready. Then set Allow me to be discovered by to either Contacts Only or Everyone.

Losing your cursor on Windows 11? Make it bigger or change the color so it’s easier to spot. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch. Slide the Size bar to make it bigger, then pick a pointer style. Try the inverted option to have it adjust to any background, or pick a custom color you like.

🎲 Roll the dice: Next time you need to settle a score, let your Amazon Echo break the tie. Just say, “Alexa, flip a coin” for a classic heads-or-tails game or “Alexa, roll a die” for random choices. You could also say, “Alexa, pick a number between 1 and 100” to let her decide.

Viral Wi-Fi trick: Fold a sheet of aluminum foil into a curved shape and prop it behind your router’s antennas. This DIY hack can help boost your signal and improve coverage in those pesky dead zones. Cheap, fast and effective.

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.*

🎶 Groovin’ digitally: Want to preserve your vintage vinyl collection? Turn your records into digital files with a USB turntable. They’re not cheap, but neither were all those albums … For the record, a person born in ’33 was 45 in ’78.

🥜 The answer: B) “Jiff.” Yep, straight from the GIF creator’s mouth. And no, this wasn’t a marketing stunt by a certain peanut butter company. 

Steve Wilhite, who gave the internet the looping magic we didn’t know we needed, once and for all declared it rhymes with “jiffy.” Cue the internet meltdown.

⌛ Less than 1 second: That’s all it takes for hackers to crack a six-character password, even if you’re using a mix of upper- and lowercase letters and numbers. Stop risking it and upgrade to a password manager that creates and remembers long, strong passwords for you. You’ll be glad you did.

🎙️ Ever wonder what I really say when the mics are hot? This weekend, pull up a seat to my national radio show broadcasting coast to coast on 420+ stations. It’s where this newsletter comes to life: tech tips, jaw-dropping digital stories, behind-the-scenes moments and real calls from listeners (maybe even you!). Don’t miss out, so find your local station or catch the podcast on your own time. 

See you tomorrow with the huge secret phone makers do not want you to know and more in the #1 tech newsletter in the USA! Make it a great day, and if all else fails, reboot yourself. 🔄💡 — Kim

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