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. […]
Have you ever joined a Zoom call and thought, “Why do I look like a vampire who doesn’t know where the camera is?” Since it’s the start of a new week, here are easy tricks to make you look brighter, smarter and significantly less like you’re broadcasting from a cave. 🎥 Fix your camera placement […]
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. […]
You pay for high-speed internet, but your current connection is slower than your mom who took nine months to come up with a good joke. Something’s off, and no, it’s not Mercury in retrograde (this time). Enter: DNS. 🧠 Wait, what’s DNS? DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s like your computer’s address book. When […]
You made it through the week. Time to treat yourself! I dug through the sea of fake reviews and gimmicks for sweet savings on gadgets you’ll actually want. Let’s dive in. 🚘 Eyes on the road 24/7: Redtiger’s 4K dual dash cam ($118.99, 30% off) covers your ride from front to back, even when parked. […]
Charles in San Antonio asked, “Kim, I have one of those smart thermostats. It must collect a lot of my data. Where does it all go?” Buckle up, Charles, because your thermostat might know more about you than your best friend, your doctor or your cat. If you’ve got a Nest, Ecobee or any of […]
We’ve all got one (or five): that old smartphone buried in a drawer, sitting there like a digital paperweight. You don’t use it, but you don’t toss it either because maybe someday it’ll come in handy. Today is the day to let your old phone defend your castle as a security camera. No new tech, […]
Michelle in Phoenix asks: “Hello, Kim, do you have recommendations for services that remove your phone number, home address off Google? My son is getting extremely harassing texts and vandalism at his home. We want to remove all our phone numbers and addresses from public viewing.” Michelle, you’re not alone. Googling yourself used to be […]
We all love a clean house, but what about your digital life? Clutter builds up fast: old contacts, forgotten files, 127 versions of the same photo and a desktop that’s basically an overflowing junk drawer. That doesn’t just hog storage, it slows down your tech and drains your focus. Let’s tackle it, step-by-step. I’m here […]
Oh, that familiar quick pat of the pockets and the spike of panic when you realize your phone is no longer on your person. Maybe it’s in the car. Maybe you left it at the coffee shop. You open Find My Phone. It’s too late, you might as well be looking for a TI-84 calculator. […]
When I told my bank I didn’t want them using my voice as a biometric security measure, they pushed back — hard. “It’s for your protection,” they insisted. But here’s the deal: I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t consent to it. And I definitely don’t want a recording of my voice floating in some […]
The phone rings, and it’s an agent from your local IRS office with bad news. Someone filed in your name. But don’t worry, they can help you sort it out in just a few minutes. Now, what’s your Social Security number? You read my newsletters, so hopefully you read that and thought, “Nope, it’s a […]
I love Google Maps. It’s one of those everyday tech tools that actually makes life easier. From finding late-night tacos to dodging traffic like a pro, it’s still the gold standard in navigation. (Sorry, Apple Maps, you’re catching up but not quite there yet.) 🗺️ Google Maps has charted nearly every inch of the planet, […]
Reading this on a 6-year-old iPhone 11? It’s well past the average smartphone lifespan of 2.5 years … and I’m impressed you’ve hung onto it this long. Btw, Apple typically provides iOS updates for five to six years after a model’s release. Upgrading your laptop or smartphone is inevitable. But wait before you throw out […]
It’s only March, and we’re nearing 100 degrees in Phoenix. I’m already sweating, dreading my power bills. It got me thinking about the stuff in your house that’s sucking up electricity 24/7, even when it’s turned off. Phantom power may not seem like a big deal, but those little energy leaks can add hundreds of […]
I just swiped through my apps and found, uh, six I’ve never used or haven’t opened in months. Yep, it even happens to me. You have grand plans to meditate, organize your to-dos, fix your pics, whatever, and you download an app for the job. But then, the romance ends. You should know that it’s […]
The other day on my national radio show, I mentioned that the average American drops $110 a month on streaming services. Add another $80+ for a solid internet connection, and suddenly old-school cable doesn’t look so bad. My inbox lit up with folks asking, “Kim, how can I lower my streaming bills?” I’m willing to […]
This is the kind of thing that makes you wish flip phones were still a thing. The world has moved from marketing to digital profiling. We are being tracked like never before. Advertising giant Publicis Groupe just released a video bragging that its CoreAI platform tracks a staggering 91% of all adult internet users. Yes, […]
When’s the last time you looked to see who’s logged into your accounts? Yeah, I thought so.
