June 12, 2025

Duct tape fixes for the digital age

Tech doesn’t always play nice. Your laptop heats up, your Wi-Fi fizzles, and sometimes you’re just standing there, squinting at your screen, wondering where the mouse pointer disappeared to. Don’t panic. Just try these fast fixes. Each takes under a minute and requires zero tech degree … although if you pull these off in front […]

June 11, 2025

The truth behind airplane mode (no, it’s not a myth)

You know the drill. You find your seat, wrestle your carry-on into the overhead bin like it’s a CrossFit challenge, and then, ding! The flight attendant reminds you to switch to airplane mode.  So … what happens if you don’t? Are you going to crash the plane? Trigger the emergency slide midair?  🛑 Da plane, […]

June 10, 2025

The bots are coming for your 401(k)

One question I get all the time is, “Kim, can AI help me pick stocks?”  Spoiler: Not only can it help, it might do a better job than a guy in a Patagonia vest yelling about yield curves. A finance professor from Canada tested the stock-picking skills of ChatGPT, Elon Musk’s Grok and communist China’s […]

June 9, 2025

Elder fraud is exploding: Your data is making it worse

I’ve got bad news: Today’s online scammers know everything about you. They’re scraping your info and everyone else’s from the web and buying the rest from data brokers and people-search sites.  📈 The stats are scary Folks age 60-plus are the biggest target. Almost 72% of scams start with personal data grabbed online. Data brokers […]

June 8, 2025

The next iPhone? Nope. This one has no screen, no apps, no keyboard

I always want you to be tech ahead. That’s why I want you to think about what if your next device didn’t have a screen? Or apps? Or a keyboard? That’s exactly why Sam Altman (OpenAI’s CEO) and Jony Ive (the former Apple design genius behind the iPhone) are working on a new kind of […]

June 7, 2025

Kim’s cart: 10 genius buys that keep you (and your stuff) safe

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 […]

June 6, 2025

Make a movie in a minute

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, AI is changing everything. And now it’s coming for video. This is the future, and it’s so fun to play around with these new tools. Forget editing software, green screens or even a camera. Now your keyboard is the director, the producer and creative partner. All […]

June 5, 2025

Love, hearing loss and Bluetooth settings

Barry and I were on vacation in the Bahamas, soaking up the sun and enjoying island life until he caught a nasty virus. The next morning, he woke up and said, “I can’t hear out of my right ear.” Just like that, his hearing was gone. He saw a doctor on the island who put […]

June 4, 2025

Wi-Fi in the sky without paying a dime (or close to it)

Is it just me, or does it feel downright offensive to pay $25 for in-flight Wi-Fi that barely loads your email? Here’s the nasty truth: Some folks on your flight are scrolling TikTok or answering emails for free.  The secret? A mix of loyalty perks, smart credit card picks and a little insider know-how. Let […]

June 3, 2025

Food companies hate this app

Healthy eating isn’t just trending, it’s something I’ve lived my whole life. I read every label, choose organic whenever I can and try to never eat processed foods. Knowing what’s going into your body matters, and I’ve always believed that. But even with all that vigilance, it’s easy to get duped by “natural” and “wholesome” […]

June 2, 2025

The jobs AI can’t steal (yet)

Larry from Louisiana writes: “Kim, what jobs are safe from AI and don’t need a college degree? I’m losing sleep worrying about my future and how I’m going to support a wife and three teenagers.” Larry, you’re spot-on to be thinking about this. Supporting a family of five in this economy is basically a full-contact […]

June 1, 2025

Digital cash, physical threat

Picture this: You’re worth millions in crypto. You think your money’s safe because it’s digital, anonymous and locked up behind a strong password. But there’s one security hole you didn’t count on, your physical body. That’s exactly what happened in a terrifying case out of New York City.  Two men allegedly kidnapped a crypto investor […]

May 31, 2025

184 million accounts just leaked, yours could be next

Hackers just hit a massive jackpot: 184 million accounts across Apple, Google and Microsoft were exposed in a sweeping data breach. I’m talking email addresses, usernames, passwords, device info (the whole buffet), now up for grabs on the dark web. Before you say, “I’m safe, I use strong passwords,” or “I’ve never been hacked,” take […]

May 30, 2025

Where to watch TV without paying a dime

The average household coughs up nearly $70 a month on streaming subscriptions, and that’s before your internet tab. But let me tell you, I spend a lot more than that. It’s closer to $125. Add it all together, and congratulations, you’re back in 2011 with your overpriced cable bundle, except this time, there’s no DVR […]

May 29, 2025

Apple’s serious health warning

Apple quietly issued a warning that could seriously affect your health. Before you say, “I’m good, I use Android,” pump the brakes.  If you’re one of the nearly 4 million Americans with a pacemaker or defibrillator (or you deeply love one of them), this isn’t just a scare headline. It’s a legit, science-backed heads-up. 🧲 […]

May 28, 2025

People are glued on YouTube, watching planes land at LAX

Move over, cat videos and cooking hacks, there’s a new YouTube obsession, and it’s planes landing at LAX. No, really. I thought you’d find it interesting that a channel called Airline Videos Live is racking up millions of views pointing a camera at the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.  It’s exactly what it sounds […]

May 27, 2025

Meetings now come with surveillance

It doesn’t bother me anymore, but it used to. Maybe it’s happened to you. You’re in a Zoom call, wearing pajama bottoms, and someone casually says, “Oh, my AI assistant is taking notes of everything everyone is saying.” Wait, what?! There’s a digital stenographer silently documenting every sigh, awkward pause and half-baked idea you mutter? […]

May 26, 2025

Honor their service: How to get official military records

If you’ve ever lost someone who served, or even just want to understand your family better, listen to this. I was poking around online, and I found my dad’s actual WWII draft card application. His name, his handwriting, his signature, where he lived. It was all there. I didn’t expect to get so emotional, but […]

May 25, 2025

AI isn’t just stealing jobs, it’s also fighting death

When people hear “AI,” they think of deepfakes, bogus essays or robots stealing jobs. But there’s something way bigger happening behind the scenes: AI is low-key helping doctors beat diseases that terrify us. Like actually saving lives.  ❤️ Heart disease Still the world’s #1 killer … but AI has entered the chat, and it’s scanning […]

May 24, 2025

Memorial Day deals for under $50

Memorial Day is not designed to be a day for special sales and barbecues, although there will be plenty of both. And while we value and appreciate all the veterans and active-duty military, it’s not their day either.  This is a solemn day of remembrance. A day to honor all those who have given their […]