💾 Nuclear files and chill: Get this. A Department of Energy employee lost his security clearance after uploading 187,000 porn images to a federal network. He said it was for an “AI project,” not pleasure, and compared his interrogation to the “Spanish Inquisition.” The collection reportedly spanned 30 years. That’s not what “data backup” means, champ.
Tags: data, files, Images, network, security
Recently here in The Current, I mentioned a YouTuber who ended up in the ER because of a smart ring. A bunch of you left me comments asking the same thing: “How does that even happen?”
Let me explain, because this wasn’t the guy’s fault. It was a complete tech failure.
📄 Convert YouTube videos to text: If you’d rather read a tutorial than watch it, YouTube makes it easy. Open the video, expand the description and tap Show transcript. In the new sidebar, hit the three-dot menu and select Toggle timestamps to clean it up. Then highlight, copy and paste the text wherever you need it. Amazing.
I hate passwords. They are a total pain in the butt. Now don’t kill the messenger…
Hackers have amped up their game and are using powerful AI software that can rip through millions of password combinations in seconds. Brace yourself, your password really needs to be at least 20 characters, and there should be a completely different one for each account.
Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere, powering your phone, laptop, iPad, toothbrush, e-bike, EV and power bank. We love them because they’re compact, rechargeable and efficient. But when things go wrong? They go really wrong.
📱 I want you: I’m posting tech tips, behind-the-scenes moments and real talk about your digital life over on TikTok. Come hang out, scroll smarter and tap that follow button, no dancing required (unless it’s for science). 👉 tiktok.com/@kimkomandoÂ
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Got a Kindle without ads? You can show your book covers on the lock screen. Go to Settings > Screen and brightness > Show covers on lock screen. If you’ve got ads, Amazon lets you pay a one-time fee to remove them.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
📺 Power reset your smart TV: If your TV’s acting up with black screens or weird glitches, turn it off and unplug it from the wall. Then hold the TV’s power button (usually on the front, side or back) for 60 seconds. Plug it back in, turn it on, and you’re good to go.
🖨️ Restart everything: If your printer’s acting weird, turn it off and unplug it for 30 seconds before powering it back on. Restart your computer, too. This clears temporary glitches in the printer’s memory and often fixes those annoying “processing” loops.
Since Halloween’s in the air, let’s talk about something spooky: vampire electronics. These everyday gadgets quietly suck electricity (and money) when you’re not using them.
They’re called “phantom loads” or “standby power,” and they’re everywhere from your cable box to your soundbar to your printer. Even when they’re “off,” they’re drawing power.
