Good morning! Sunday is upon us, friend. I texted my son yesterday, “Getting in the shower,” and autocorrect changed it to “Getting in the sewer.” He replied, “Sewer later, alligator! 🐊” There’s an insider secret for taking control of autocorrect on your phone at the end you don’t want to miss.

“You look so good!” I’ve taken collagen for years for better nails, skin and hair. It’s great for your joints and recovery, too. Hit this link if you want to try it. More info on NativePath below. First, on to the tech smarts to make sure you’re never left tech‑behind. — Kim

✅ Catch my national radio show as a podcast on your schedule! Here are the links to wherever you get your podcasts.

I’m going to Europe soon, and planning my trip was a breeze. Yes, really! AI did a big chunk of the work for me — and it can help you plan your next getaway, too. Here are a few ways to turn AI into your travel agent. For this, let’s stick with using the big bots:

• ChatGPT: My preferred AI chatbot; gives the best results.
• Gemini: Google’s chatbot is integrated into Google Flights and Google Hotels. I don’t think it’s as thorough as ChatGPT, and it often throws in opinions.

1. Start with your likes and wants

Your AI travel buddy can do so much more than suggest tourist traps — it can help you create a truly tailored adventure.

🎨 By interests

AI can curate a list of spots that match your hobbies:

• “Find me the best food tours in Paris that include wine tastings.”
• “What are some scenic hiking trails within 30 miles of Denver?”
• “Suggest must-see art galleries in NYC for modern art lovers.”

☀️ By weather

AI can suggest destinations based on your preferred climate:

• “Find me a warm destination in the U.S. for January with average temps above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.”
• “What are the best ski resorts in Wyoming for late December?”
• “Where can I play golf in May with mild, spring-like weather?”

🎭 By occasion or vibe

Not sure where you want to go? Let AI find the perfect match for your mood:

• “What are some romantic destinations in Italy?”
• “Suggest family-friendly vacation spots with amusement parks and beaches.”
• “Where can I go for a budget-friendly beach vacation in March?”

The best part? AI doesn’t just offer generic lists; it crafts your dream trip based on what you love or need — or just want to experience.

2. Ask the right questions

This one hit the jackpot for me: “What are unique experiences in Berlin and Vienna during the first week of January?” The results? Festive Christmas markets, snowy countryside escapes and a hot springs spa. Not bad, right?

For every city on my trip, I got creative with prompts:

• “Help me plan a route between Paris and Vienna. My family loves unique experiences, scenic drives and amazing food.”
• “I’m visiting Berlin. What are the tourist things I shouldn’t miss?”
• “What’s a day-by-day itinerary for Paris that includes local food, hidden gems and cultural must‑sees?”

Don’t stop at the basics! Dig deeper:

• “What’s an underrated restaurant where locals eat in [destination]?”
• “Which festivals or seasonal events are happening in [destination] on [dates]?”
• “What’s the easiest way to save on tickets and/or skip the lines for [popular attraction]?”

3. Time to pack like a pro!

We’ve all forgotten our phone chargers or overpacked like we’re moving abroad for a weekend trip.

• Pack perfectly: “What should I pack for a [length of trip] to [destination] in [month]?”
• Weatherproof your wardrobe: “What’s the weather typically like in [destination] in [month]?”
• Stay document-ready: “What documents do I need for [destination]?” This way, you’re prepped for customs if you’re leaving the country. (Btw, you can now renew your passport online.)

👋 I hope this tip inspires you! Share this with your favorite travel buddy and start planning for your next getaway. Bon voyage!

• Hadlie in Utah met a guy on Tinder who seemed perfect … until he wasn’t. After a few dates, he took her to a park and tried to kill her.
• Kirk and Jacob McKinney, the “Junk Teens,” started collecting junk in high school from the local dump to sell on Facebook Marketplace. Now, they’re set to make $1.2 million this year!
• Rick in Portland, Maine, has a collection of tapes recorded by his uncle, a Lutheran pastor born in 1898. He has a hundred years to transcribe.

Plus, Dr. Moore talks job scams, Judy needs help with an old disk, Randy protects his mom from phone fraud, Kurt keeps butt-dialing, Monique wants a secure diary and much more!

😡 WTH? Black people in over 20 states are receiving racist text messages ordering them to report to plantations for slave labor. These hate-filled messages, which target kids and adults alike, are sent from unknown numbers, many of which are through the anonymous TextNow app.

Job scam warning: Retailers and shipping companies are hiring in droves ahead of the holidays. UPS, Amazon, FedEx, Target and all the rest are looking for folks, but they won’t make initial contact with you via email or text. Go to a potential employer’s website and find the “Careers” section to apply directly.

Feature or bug? Criminals’ iPhones are rebooting on their own when seized by the cops, and it’s all tied to a recent iOS 18 security update. Law enforcement is calling it a nightmare when it comes to retrieving evidence. Here’s the issue: When the phone reboots, it defaults to a “Before First Unlock” state. Even if police use third-party tools to try to access the data, they can only get limited information. No word yet on a fix.

😮 “ChatGPT saved my life”: That’s what a Redditor says after he asked the bot about chest tightness, dizziness and nausea. ChatGPT confirmed his shortness of breath and sweating, too, and suggested he might be having a cardiac event. The bot was spot on: He was in the early stages of a heart attack. Pro tip: Call 911 instead of using a chatbot.

“Brat”: That’s the Collins Dictionary’s word of the year, describing a “brat” as someone with a confident, independent and hedonistic vibe. Singer Charli XCX, whose album, “Brat,” inspired redefining the term, adds a “brat” is a girl who’s a little messy, volatile, loves to party and says dumb stuff sometimes. Use this one with your favorite teen.

Working the system: Cybercriminals are using hacked government and law enforcement email addresses to request customer data from Big Tech companies. Police usually need a search warrant for files and messages, but for basic details like phone numbers, login credentials and approximate locations, a request is all it takes.

27 bids later: The first painting by a humanoid robot just sold for $1.08 million. Auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York, it was expected to go for $180,000, tops. The piece, titled “AI God,” is a portrait of Alan Turing, a renowned mathematician and computer scientist. The buyer got ripped off.

Retailers don’t want me to tell you this: Prices change on some websites depending on where you live. The fix is a VPN. Turn on ExpressVPN,* then switch servers until you find the lowest price. Buy through there, then ship it to your home address.

OK, we’re not getting any younger. That’s why we all need the boosting powers of collagen, scientifically proven to help with the signs of aging.

Here’s what happens to our bodies. Starting in our 30s, collagen production naturally slows down. This is part of the reason we start to feel creakier in the morning and never look quite as refreshed, even after a good night’s sleep. That’s where NativePath Collagen comes in. It can help with:

• Reducing wrinkles and skin elasticity
• Easing joint pain
• Supporting bone density
• Strengthening hair and nails

It’s so easy to get the collagen your body wants. Just add two scoops of NativePath’s flavorless, single-ingredient supplement to whatever you want. I like it in my morning coffee. Voila, just like that, you get 20 grams of collagen protein. Easy.

I take NativePath, and, just to let you know, if you’re not completely satisfied with NativePath’s results, you’ll get your money back — no questions asked.

Channel your inner detective: Every Facebook photo has an ID number that lets you find exactly who posted it. On your computer, right-click on a photo on Facebook, then hit Open in New Tab. In the new tab, look at the address bar, and copy the middle set of numbers in the URL. Then, type https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= in the address bar and paste in the numbers right after the equal sign. Press Enter and bada‑bing.

Cheaper phone bill, please: Not everyone has unlimited data. If you use Chrome on iOS, here’s an easy way to lower your data usage. In the lower right corner of Chrome, tap the three dots > Settings > Bandwidth > Preload Webpages > Only on Wi‑Fi. Done!

Android split-screen trick: Did you know you can create a home screen shortcut for apps you use frequently together, like your fave recipe app and Spotify? Just tap the app’s icon > Split screen. Tap between the two apps > Save app pair. Less work, double the apps. Like all things Android, these steps may vary on your device.

🧽 No scrubs: Raise your hand if your air fryer is disgusting inside. Try this viral cleaning tip: Instead of scrubbing, squirt in some dish soap, add a little water and run it for about 3 minutes. Voila, all clean!

Hear ye, hear ye! Give yourself the life-changing gift of better hearing and stop blasting the TV volume, getting frustrated in conversations or asking people to repeat what they’ve said. Take a free hearing assessment right now* to see if you qualify for a 45-day no-risk trial of top-notch hearing aids.

🍁 These are great to gift yourself … or, you know, someone on your gift list.

• Put up stained glass window film (18% off) and never worry about your neighbors judging you for watching nine hours of “Judge Judy.”
• Add pizazz to your football-watching with a TV backlight (under $30). Woo, get $10 off if you click the coupon box!
• Too cold to get out of bed? You need a lap desk.
• Missed the northern lights? This cube (17% off, under $20) projects them onto your ceiling for some funky cosmic ambiance.
• A hanging disco ball planter adds sparkle and comes with a self-watering insert. Click the coupon box for 7% off.
• With a cute candle warmer, your favorites last longer than if you burn them all day. Don’t miss the 15% off coupon.

Count: All the ways you’ve handed info over to Google. On this dashboard, you’ll see everything from the number of emails you’ve gotten over the years to how many of your passwords are in Chrome.

🍪 Indulge: In a gooey skillet cookie sundae. “Whipped cream optional,” said no one ever.

Illuminate: The room with an LED handbag that comes in seven colors with four color modes. Perfect for holiday parties.

🚶‍♀️ Walk: Get your steps in with my free podcast to learn a ton and laugh along the way.

One for the road: On both iPhone and Android, you can add text shortcuts to your autocorrect settings. For example, type “omw” to change your text automatically to “On my way!”

You can make up any shortcuts, such as “ott” for “On the toilet,” “lol” for “Living on Lipitor,” “kdmc” for “Kids driving me crazy” and “omg” for “Oh, my gout.”

• On iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
• On Android: Head to Settings > System > Language & Input > Personal Dictionary.

🌿 Gotta run! I just got a notification from Amazon about the spices I ordered. The thyme has come.

☕ Before I go, here’s a reminder to hit this link for 45% off NativePath. Their collagen mixes into coffee and smoothies, no prob. It’s great for your joints and recovery. See you back here tomorrow for another issue of the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim