“Kim, I heard the call with the man who lost $60,000 in a crypto scam. You said anytime someone wants to move the conversation to WhatsApp, it’s a scam. Why is that?” — Dennis in Washington Thanks for the question, Dennis. I’m glad you heard that call. Heartbreaking. And unfortunately, it’s not rare. When someone […]
It starts like any typical night out. You’re sipping something overpriced and half-listening to your friend’s relationship drama. Then, you check your pocket. Empty. You think maybe it was a pickpocket. But the reality is far stranger. Dozens of iPhones stolen in cities like Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago have resurfaced thousands of miles […]
There’s one voicemail I’ll never delete. It’s from my mom. She’s been gone for almost four years, but every so often, I play it back. It’s nothing dramatic, just her voice asking if I could buy her a gallon of milk on my way home. (In her Brooklyn accent, “Kim, make sure it’s 2%, not […]
I read a geeky article that I think you’ll also find amazing. Google quietly used its Android operating system to turn billions of phones into the largest earthquake detection network in human history. Your Android phone can warn you about an earthquake before the shaking even starts. It’s built right in. You can do the […]
I would love a foldable phone. It’s fun to imagine strutting into a coffee shop, flipping open your phone like you’re Batman calling Alfred. But now Samsung’s dropped the seventh-gen Galaxy Z Fold and Flip, Google threw in the Pixel Fold, Motorola whipped out retro with the modern Razr+, and I’ve got questions. It all […]
Your phone keeps all your secrets. Where you’ve been. What you’ve typed. Even which sketchy Wi-Fi you used in 2017. It’s got the memory of an elephant and the self-restraint of a toddler with a drum set. Let’s just call your phone “Sir Veillance.” Here’s a quick breakdown of the creepy stuff your phone is […]
The Fourth of July is coming in hot, and so is some absolutely bonkers traffic. And while fireworks light up the sky, accidents and road rage are lighting up our highways. You need a dashcam An Oklahoma City driver laid on his horn when an SUV started drifting in his lane. Things escalated quickly. The […]
You’ve got 13 seconds to undo, unplug, swipe or save your digital dignity. That’s your window to salvage your glitchy app, that accidental “Reply All” email or your phone freezing mid-sentence. Don’t scream, at least not yet. ☕ 1. Spilled something on your laptop? Flip it upside down. Immediately. Don’t sit there staring at the […]
“Kim, I love my iPhone 16 but hate it’s made in China and apps track everything you do including your bowel movements. Is there a phone made in the USA that doesn’t track you?” — Paul in Tampa, Florida Well, Paul, there’s exactly one, the $1,999 Liberty Phone from Purism. If the name makes you […]
Mark in Washington, D.C., wrote in with a question that absolutely pulled at my heartstrings: “Kim, I love your newsletter and shows on WTOP 103.5 FM. My dad passed away recently, but I have all his voicemails on my phone. Is there any way to recreate his voice so my two young kids can hear […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. 🧲 […]
Think you’re off the grid? Think again. Your phone is basically a chatty little informant. While you were living your life, grabbing coffee, sneaking off for that totally relaxing solo cabin trip, it was logging every move like a nosy aunt with a snooping addiction. It’s all tucked inside a setting most people have never […]
The other day, I was digging through a drawer (you know the one: cables, old remotes, mystery chargers … where old gadgets go to die), and I came across an old SD card. No label. Just a little piece of forgotten tech from another time. Curious, I popped it into my computer. After a few […]
You deleted that weird photo of your ex’s mom from your vacation three summers ago … or did you? Hidden folders on your phone are holding your “deleted” pictures and videos hostage, quietly clogging your storage and embarrassing you long past their expiration date. Time to go folder spelunking and clear out these digital cobwebs. […]
Your phone is dying as you’re reading this. Many people don’t realize that, like milk, condoms or your favorite hot sauce that’s been in the fridge since 2018, your phone has an expiration date. Here are the average lifespans for some of today’s most popular phone brands and makes: To be clear: These are averages. […]
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 […]
