Ban these buzzwords from your LinkedIn profile: “Specialized,” “focused,” “strategic,” “experienced,” “passionate,” “creative” and innovative.” The hot term now is “high agency.” Hiring? Use my link to post a job free to LinkedIn’s huge network.
Best high-yield savings accounts for 2025
© Andranik Hakobyan | Dreamstime.com
I love answering your questions and Danielle in Austin, Texas, wrote, “I see online banks that offer really high interest rates. Are they safe? My bank doesn’t even pay 1%!”
High-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) online earn much higher interest rates than what big-name banks like Chase or Wells Fargo offer. I wouldn’t go with just any online bank, though.
Stick with the established names, and make sure your deposits are FDIC-insured. Even if the bank fails, you’re covered up to $250,000 per depositor, per account type.
Here are four major online banks
These are FDIC-insured, have no monthly fees and no minimum deposit requirement. The differences boil down to interest rates, ATM access, number of withdrawals allowed per month and customer service.
📌 Marcus by Goldman Sachs – APY: 3.90%
- Withdrawal Limitations: No specified limit on the number of withdrawals per month
- Accessibility: No ATM access or physical branches; online and mobile banking available
- Customer Service: 24/7 customer support via phone and chat
📌 Ally Bank – APY: 4.35%
- Withdrawal Limitations: Federal regulations limit certain types of withdrawals to six per statement cycle
- Accessibility: No physical branches; extensive ATM network and mobile banking with check deposit
- Customer Service: 24/7 customer support via phone, chat and email
📌 Capital One 360 Performance Savings – APY: 3.70%
- Withdrawal Limitations: No specified limit on the number of withdrawals per month
- Accessibility: Physical branches and Capital One Cafés; online and mobile banking with check deposit
- Customer Service: Available via phone and in person during branch hours
📌 American Express High Yield Savings – APY: 3.70%
Dark Web deep dive: Hitmen, hacking and credit cards
Kim Komando
Yesterday I told you all about the Dark Web. Missed it? Part 1 is here. As expected, so many of you asked me, “Why the heck would you even go on the Dark Web?”
No, really! The fine folks at the Daily Mail asked if I’d do a Dark Web deep dive and report back. The reason is probably the same one you had for opening this email: It’s intriguing.
I’ve been doing this long enough that I can bring you all the Dark Web craziness without putting myself at risk. I’m not recommending you go digging around. I’m sharing for the curious among us who know better.
🚨 A billion devices at risk, thanks to one chip: A popular Chinese Wi-Fi + Bluetooth chip known as “ESP32” lets cybercriminals hijack smart gadgets and target computers on the same network. Most attacks need physical access, but with no fix yet, it’s a major risk. PSA: Put your IoT devices on a guest network.
26 terabytes
The size of Western Digital’s new $569.99 hard drive designed for Network-Attached Storage systems, letting multiple people store and share massive amounts of data. The first hard drive, the IBM 305 RAMAC, was introduced in 1956 and cost around $50,000 (over $500,000 today adjusted for inflation). It had a whopping 5MB of storage! 😲
Delete these snoopy Chrome browser extensions
Let’s start with the basics. Chrome extensions add extra features not built into Chrome, like ad blocking, translations and one-click full-page screenshots.
Just like apps on your phone, extensions request permissions to track what you do, see and share online. But many extensions get far more access than they need and collect data way beyond their intended purpose. And that’s when you’re at risk of identity theft, scams and data harvesting.
Larry Ellison, AI and a future right out of ‘1984’
© Tatsiana Kuryanovich | Dreamstime.com
AI is all over the news and for good reason: Whoever controls AI controls geopolitics and economics. One big player in the AI world is Larry Ellison. He never finished college; he left to start building databases for the CIA. After that, he co-founded Oracle, and now, depending on the day, he’s the fourth-wealthiest person in the world.
⚡ Not a shocker: Hackers are trying to mess with our solar panels. Chinese-owned Solarman PV had a security hole that affected power plants in 190 countries. A German company, Solar-Log, let some folks use the default password. Have solar panels? Switch the default password to a strong one and put them on a separate guest network.
2.7 billion records leaked: A Communist China company that sells smart hydroponics and grow lights proved what I’ve been saying for years. Security in Internet of Things (IoT) devices is a joke. You already know about the massive breach if you’re on my Current Alerts list. Read the full story for the best steps to protect your home network.
📲 Whaddaya want? Soon, you’ll know why a business is calling — at least if you use an Android on the AT&T network. Maybe you’ve already noticed official logos pop up when a company calls. Now you’ll see what they want, with no extra app required. Options include appointment and refill reminders, delivery service, and upcoming visits. This is neat, but, of course, now I’m worried when someone will hack this …
🛰️ T-Mobile Starlink free offer: Let me explain the Super Bowl commercial. When your cellphone gets out of range of a cell tower, your phone will connect to the T-Mobile Starlink network. Messages are sent and received just as they are today on a traditional network, including group texts and reactions. It works on most smartphones from the last four years. Anyone, no matter the carrier, can join the public beta. Sign up here so you get to use it free until July. I did.
Gamers in the house? Too many devices on the same network can slow things to a crawl, especially if some of those devices (looking at you, Nintendo Switch) use a lot of bandwidth. Try this: Put the kids on a guest network. Here’s how to set that up.
A no-brainer if you have a dog: Fido Alert is like an Amber Alert for pets. Register your furry friend and you’ll get a free ID tag that includes a QR code. In case your pet goes missing, alert the Fido network. Then, if someone scans the QR code, they’ll get your contact info and you’ll get a notification. I keep an AirTag on my golden retriever, Abby, and she wears a smart collar.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Most accurate weather apps depending on where you live
© Irina Igumnova | Dreamstime.com, play.google.com, weather.com
I was talking to my brother, who got 7 inches of snow in Florida the other day. Wow!
We’re on the edge of a weather forecasting revolution. Google’s AI weather forecasting system, GenCast, can predict as far out as 15 days with up to 97% accuracy. We’re entering the age where severe weather will no longer surprise anyone.
⚠️ “Evil twin” attacks: That’s when scammers set up a public Wi‑Fi network where folks are already logging on, like an airport or coffee shop. The goal is to get you to connect so they can intercept everything you type — social media logins, credit card numbers and personal data. Always ask staff for the exact Wi‑Fi network, and use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic. My pick is ExpressVPN.
🏥 Remember the massive Ascension data breach? You know, the one that exposed the personal and medical data of 5.6 million people earlier this year. It turns out an employee accidentally downloaded a malicious file and exposed the whole data dump. Basic network security and training could’ve prevented this mess. I hope they get hit with a big fine.
18 times better than Wi-Fi: Z-Wave’s long-range tech extends the maximum wireless range to 1.5 miles — way better than Wi-Fi (up to 300 feet) or Bluetooth (only 30 feet). It supports 4,000 devices on one network, so it’s perfect for offices, too. It’ll be out next year.
🦍 Tag, you’re it: If you’ve got kids obsessed with the Meta VR game “Gorilla Tag,” talk to them. There are videos all over the internet telling them to install the free VPN app Big Mama to cheat. It’s just a front for selling access to your home internet and network. Need a VPN you can trust? Here’s my pick.
Looking for work? 5 mistakes that will hurt your chances of getting hired
Social media is a place where we can loosen up a little. You can post jokes, silly pictures, or whatever on Instagram, X, Facebook and more. Unlike most social media sites, our sponsor, LinkedIn, is pretty buttoned-up.