It’s a tech spectacular Saturday, friend. You ever scroll through your phone, stare into the void of cyberspace and think: “Wait … who came up with this stuff?” Turns out, a lot of our terminology is a spin-off from sci-fi novels. 

Can you guess which of these tech terms was originally coined in science fiction: A) Cyberspace, B) Wi-Fi, C) App or D) Email? Find the answer at the end. 

✅ You’ve got to protect your passwords! Use the manager I trust. It’s got military-grade security, works on all your devices, stores unlimited passwords and even helps you create rock-solid passwords. It’s the smart way to stay safe online.*

🤓 Psst. Know someone who could use a little tech know-how (without the boring stuff)? Forward this newsletter. They’ll thank you later.  — Kim

I test a lot of gear. Every product here solves a sneaky problem and helps you stay one step ahead of scammers, snoops and opportunists. I’ve done the digging so you don’t have to. Let’s go shopping!

✍️ 1. Pens that stop check washing

Fraudsters love “washing” checks and rewriting new amounts unless you use this pen. Its ink chemically bonds with paper, so the info can’t be scrubbed off. Get Uni-ball 207 Gel Pens ($6.08).

📦 2. Safe mailing, sealed tight

Sending something sensitive? These tough mailers make it obvious if someone tried to tamper with your package. Shop Columbian Security Envelopes ($18.89, 6% off).

🖐️ 3. Skip the shredder

It’s fast, easy and way more fun than shredding. Just roll this over addresses or barcodes to obscure them. See the Identity Theft Protection Stamp Roller ($9.99, 33% off).

📬 4. Your mailbox, upgraded

Curbside mail theft is real. This locking mailbox keeps your deliveries secure, and it’s built like a tank. Buy the Mail Boss 7506 on Amazon ($99.99).

💳 5. Block digital pickpockets

Stylish and secure, this thin wallet stops RFID scanning and looks good doing it. There’s a women’s version, too! Get the RUNBOX RFID Wallet ($21.45, 17% off).

🔌 6. Power without the risk

Charge your phone safely in public places. These little adapters block data transfer. You get just power, no snooping. Grab the JSAUX USB Data Blocker ($12.99, 19% off).

📱 7. Eyes off your screen

Stop nosy strangers from “shoulder surfing,” so only you can see your screen clearly. Buy the UNBREAKcable iPhone Privacy Screen ($21.99, 8% off).

🧻 8. Hide valuables in plain sight

Looks like a regular shaving cream can, but twist the bottom and there’s your hidden compartment. Get the Barbasol Safe Can ($8.06, 10% off).

🚗 9. Protect your car from high-tech theft

These pouches block your key fob’s signal to prevent relay attacks. Toss one in your purse or glove box. Use the other one in your house. Shop the Lanpard Faraday Bag ($7.43, 26% off).

💡 10. Light + camera = security

This brand-new security camera is attached to a lightbulb. Just screw it into any socket. No extra wires or complicated steps. See the Wyze Bulb Camera ($49.98).

Only the best finds protect your identity, money and peace of mind. I couldn’t fit all the clever gear that fights back, so head over to my Amazon page. If you’re traveling, you need the anti-theft cross-body bag. I’ve got more security picks waiting for you there.

We’re all guilty of storing our passwords in the wrong places. A sticky note under your keyboard or stuck on your computer screen isn’t going to cut it. Keeping passwords out in the open like that is just as dangerous as having weak logins hackers can crack in seconds.

That’s why you need a password manager. With NordPass you can:

1. 🔒 Check passwords’ strength: Find out if your passwords are weak, reused or outdated in seconds.
2. 🔒 Generate healthy passwords: They create unique, uncrackable passwords every time. No more wondering if your try is good enough.
3. 🔒 Sync across all devices: Keeps everything in sync and logs you into your favorite sites automatically.

Ditch the Post-its, and keep all your passwords stored in one safe place with my password manager pick, NordPass.

🚨 AT&T data leak: Hackers just exposed 86 million customer records, including names, phone numbers, emails and addresses. Worse? Nearly 44 million Social Security numbers were leaked in plain text. That’s prime info for scammers and identity theft. PSA: Stay alert for phishing attempts and keep a close eye on your accounts, folks.

TSA’s planning touchless pat-downs: Yep, they’re working on VR tech that lets agents “feel” you without any actual contact. How? Sensors scan your body shape, then send the data to haptic gloves, creating a virtual version of your contours. And don’t you know all that is going into some database? Speaking of … Did you know that the TSA likes to hire dentists as supervisors? They are already experts in performing cavity searches.

🧬 Silicon Valley’s baby fever: Welcome to the Build-a-Baby boom. Startups like Orchid and Nucleus want to sell you on polygenic testing: basically “future-proofing” your baby’s DNA for everything from BMI to bipolar disorder. The cost? $50,000.

Walt Disney lives again? Kinda. He’s being turned into a lifelike robot for Disney parks, so guests can see what it might’ve been like to meet him. It’ll look like him at age 62 and use real lines from his speeches. The twist? His granddaughter says he would never want this. 

Self-healing concrete: Scientists made concrete that can literally fix itself, and it’s technically alive. They’re using synthetic lichen that feeds on sunlight and air. It then produces calcium carbonate, the same ultra-strong material found in Roman concrete. When cracks appear, they fill in naturally. 

🫀 Teen heart hacker: A 14-year-old in Texas built an AI-powered heart screening app that can detect cardiac issues in seven seconds with just a smartphone mic. Yes, seriously. It’s 96% accurate and already in clinical trials. App detects heart failure? I wonder if it can hear mine breaking during tax season.

🆓 Small-business owner? Download NetSuite’s free guide, “Navigating Global Trade: Three Insights for Leaders,” and find out how to stay ahead, even when the rules keep changing.*

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Open a private browser window fast: Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Command + Shift + N (Mac).

📅 Search by date range in Gmail: Need to find emails from a specific time frame? In the search bar, type: after:2025/01/01 before:2025/03/01. This shows emails from Jan. 2 to Feb. 28, 2025. You can narrow it more like from:kim@example​.com or has:attachment. Neat. 

Uber senior accounts: Larger text, fewer buttons and clearer instructions. Perks include saved destinations and pay with a Medicare flex card. FYI: It’s part of Uber’s family profile, but anyone can try this by turning on Simple Mode in the app’s Account section.

📚 Books to bucks: Got shelves of old novels, DVDs or video games? Free apps like BookBuddy (iOS) and Libib (Android) make it easy to sell them. Scan the barcode, and the app stores it in a catalog. From there, create a listing on eBay, Facebook Marketplace or wherever you flip.

Speed up your Android: If your phone feels sluggish, your home screen might be the problem. Too many widgets, like weather or news feeds, can put extra stress on the system each time you wake it up. Ditch the ones you don’t need: Long-press a widget and tap Remove.

AirPods keep falling out? You’re not imagining it. Series 3 and 4 have a chunkier shape that doesn’t sit as well, especially if you’re moving around. Try this: Pop it in, then twist it a bit so the stem points toward your mouth. Now it won’t fly out mid-jog.

🛡️ I don’t go online without ExpressVPN: Neither should you. It hides your IP, encrypts your data and keeps snoops out. Fast, private, secure. Get four extra months free with this limited time offer.*

Answer: A) Cyberspace. The term first appeared in the 1982 science fiction short story “Burning Chrome” by William Gibson, then gained fame in his 1984 novel Neuromancer. 

Yep, your Wi-Fi-fueled scrolling addiction has deep roots in gritty, neon-lit sci-fi. Gibson imagined a vast computerized hallucination, basically what happens when you open 15 Chrome tabs and forget why.

✅ Don’t miss this deal: Start using the #1 password manager that has continued to innovate and add great features. Check it out now. Just $1.43 a month!

That’s it for today’s edition of the #1 tech newsletter in the U.S. Tomorrow, we’re talking about OpenAI’s next big thing, a Starlink surprise and dog doppelgangers. That’s it for now, go impress someone with what you just learned. ✨ — Kim

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