November 10, 2025
Fly the unfriendly skies

Fly the unfriendly skies

Flying soon? Listen up. At 40 of the country’s busiest airports, flights coming and going will be reduced by 10% this week.  That means thousands of flights canceled, or in other words, 200,000 fewer seats and butts in the air per day. Blame it on a record‑long government shutdown. Major hubs will be the hardest hit: […]

November 9, 2025
🎁 Gifts under $50? You betcha!

🎁 Gifts under $50? You betcha!

Holiday shopping stressing you out? Skip the gift-card trap. I’ve rounded up 10 amazing gifts, all under $50, that bring joy, wow, and are easy on the wallet. Let’s jump in. 🔪 Titanium tough, easy clean Slice your meat on one side of this cutting board (43% off) and your veggies on the other. Nonstick […]

🛣️ Your driver’s license is worth more than you think

🛣️ Your driver’s license is worth more than you think

Your driver’s license has two jobs: ID and moneymaker. But sadly, not for you.

November 8, 2025
Holiday gift guide: Unwrap the presents everyone wants

Holiday gift guide: Unwrap the presents everyone wants

Google just dropped its 2025 Holiday 100, aka what everyone wants this season. I dug past the hype to find the gadgets, gear and glam that are actually worth your cash. But don’t wait until December. Many are bound to sell out sooner than later. Not feeling festive yet? Scroll past all the great gifts […]

November 7, 2025
10 best true tech stories streaming

10 best true tech stories streaming

You can keep the wizards and aliens. Give me a movie or series where something unbelievable actually happened. Back by popular demand, I put together this list for you as proof that tech isn’t only lines of code and shiny gadgets. It’s ambition, hype, brilliance and, yeah, sometimes a total train wreck. You’re gonna want […]

November 6, 2025
AI’s in the driver’s seat, and it’s drunk

AI’s in the driver’s seat, and it’s drunk

I just read a jaw-dropping research paper out of Cornell University that hasn’t hit the headlines anywhere yet. Welcome to our new world. Scammers are using AI photos to create fake car accidents. I’m talking crash photos, damage reports, even fake driver’s licenses all crafted by AI in minutes. Fraudsters are submitting fake claims to […]

November 5, 2025
You might be yelling at a toaster

You might be yelling at a toaster

Quick question: When’s the last time you really knew if you were chatting with a real human on a customer-service call? Turns out, in more places than you think, it’s not a person at all. It’s AI. That might be fine when you’re asking a dumb question like, “What time do you close?” But what […]

November 4, 2025
Stop one-touch theft

Stop one-touch theft

Tap-to-pay is slick, fast and super convenient until it isn’t. Scammers have figured out how to use that same technology to steal your money without you even knowing. It’s called “ghost tapping,” and it’s spreading so fast, the BBB issued a major alert about it. 💳 How it works A scammer carries a hidden NFC […]

November 3, 2025
A chatbot slashed their $195K hospital bill to $33K

A chatbot slashed their $195K hospital bill to $33K

Here’s a story that stopped me in my tracks. A grieving family was hit with a $195,000 hospital bill for just four hours of their loved one’s care in the ICU. No surgery. No five-day extended stay. Now imagine going through the worst moment of your life and getting a bill like that. Instead of […]

November 2, 2025
Stop saving passwords in browsers, seriously

Stop saving passwords in browsers, seriously

I got an email from a listener named Jim K., and it’s the kind of note that sticks with you. “I checked Have I Been Pwned and found one account breached twice, another nine times, and another five times. I keep my usernames and passwords in Notes. I don’t let websites store my credit card […]

November 1, 2025
Stop porch pirates from ruining your holidays

Stop porch pirates from ruining your holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for gift-giving and the worst time because of gift-stealing. Over $2 billion worth of parcels got stolen in the last three months of 2024 alone. That’s a lot of missing presents and stocking stuffers. With the right gear, you can leave porch pirates out in the cold.  […]

Unleash your inner IT overlord

Unleash your inner IT overlord

I read every comment you leave at the end of this newsletter, and one theme always stands out: You want to know all the hidden things your tech can do!  Lucky for you, uncovering those “I had no idea!” moments is my superpower.  🪟 Secret Windows restart trick Frequent shutdowns can fix most computer issues, […]

October 31, 2025
Why your car insurance hates you

Why your car insurance hates you

My car insurance jumped 32%. I didn’t crash. I didn’t speed. I simply exist. Sound familiar? Full-coverage car insurance rates rose 25% on average last year, and in some states, it was closer to 40%. Overall, rates are up 55% since 2022. 📈 Why rates keep rising It’s the tech. Modern cars are rolling computers […]

October 30, 2025
Ransomware hackers upped the game, and it’s personal

Ransomware hackers upped the game, and it’s personal

If you read one thing today, let it be this, because the rules of ransomware have officially changed, and not in a “Yay, innovation!” kind of way. For years, the scam was simple: Hackers locked up your computer, holding your files hostage and demanding a ransom in Bitcoin for a promise to give your data […]

October 29, 2025
🔓 This $130 lock got picked with a water can

🔓 This $130 lock got picked with a water can

You know I love a good tech takedown, and this one is peak internet.  Meet Trevor McNally, a former U.S. Marine staff sergeant turned full-time YouTuber with a very specific hobby: lock picking. On his channel, he tests locks the way most of us test leftovers, with low expectations and a lot of curiosity.  He’s […]

October 27, 2025
Kids’ books made wonderfully easy

Kids’ books made wonderfully easy

Nicole from Washington, D.C., recently wrote, “Hi, Kim, I love your shows on WTOP. I read your article about how to use AI to write a book. I want to write a children’s book. But I’m no artist!” Nicole, I love this idea. But you absolutely don’t need to be an artist to pull this […]

October 26, 2025
Pawns, kings and queens

Pawns, kings and queens

Barry and I play chess a few times a month, and he’s always completely floored when I win. Why? He plays everyday on Chess⁠⁠.com, and I only play with him. Here’s a business success I bet you didn’t see coming, I know I didn’t. Chess. Yes, the game that’s been around for about 1,500 years […]

October 25, 2025
Plug the leaks in your digital life

Plug the leaks in your digital life

Hackers, scammers and snoopers are getting slicker every day. Your gear should, too. I did the digging (so you don’t have to) and found the best tools to outsmart them. Let’s check them out! 🛡️ Guard your cards RFID blocking cards ($5, 50% off) stop fraud before it even starts. Slip one into your wallet, […]

7 quick tech fixes that’ll make you feel like a genius

7 quick tech fixes that’ll make you feel like a genius

It’s Saturday, which means two things: So let’s channel that procrastination energy into productivity. I’m talking about the satisfying kind where you fix stuff in under a minute and feel wildly accomplished. Here are tech issues you can squash today. No tools, tech support or curse words required. 1. Fix your smart TV Screen flickering? […]

October 24, 2025
For whom the bell tolls unpaid

For whom the bell tolls unpaid

You’ve probably seen it: a text that says something like, “You have an overdue toll balance. Click here to avoid late fees.” It looks official, urgent and believable enough to make you think maybe it’s legit. That text is part of a very sophisticated scam run by Chinese criminal gangs, and they’ve already made over […]