Full circle moment

October 17, 2025

🌷 Full circle moment: How about good news? A shy kindergartner promised her teacher she’d say hello again after high school. Twenty years, two degrees and two kids later, Calyssa found that teacher, thanks to a single TikTok photo. Turns out, both were student moms from UC Davis and had the same grit. Sometimes the internet actually delivers a happy ending.

Tags: internet, kids, photo, school, TikTok

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You asked how a smart ring sent a guy to the ER. Here’s the full story.

@ZONEofTECH via X

Your password is too short. Let’s fix that

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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.

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📱 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/@kimkomando

How not to explode

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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.

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Slay your vampire electronics

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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.

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⚡️ 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.

Protecting yourself from voice scams

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Voice cloning has left the lab. Soon enough, you might hear your voice and think, Wait, is that me or an AI?

AI isn’t just being used to revive dead rappers or prank your boss with Drake impressions. Scammers are generating voices to fake kidnappings, drain bank accounts and impersonate your kid in crisis.

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💬 Hide your WhatsApp status: Planning a surprise and don’t want everyone to know? When creating a status, tap Updates > Add status. In the bottom left, where it says Status (Contacts), choose My contacts except. Pick who shouldn’t see it, hit Done and your secret’s safe.