Your smart TV isn’t just watching shows, it’s watching you. Here’s how to stop it from tracking everything you do.
📺 Just what we need, more streaming services: First up is Howdy, an ad-free Roku channel for $2.99/month with old shows and movies from Warner Bros., Discovery, Lionsgate and more. The catch? You’ll need a Roku device (25% off). Then on Aug. 21, Fox One drops for $19.99/month with live NFL, MLB and news.
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#1
That’s the position Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, just snagged on Tripadvisor’s list, beating Disney and Universal to become the Jolene of U.S. theme parks. With coasters, live shows, a 35-acre water park and two-days-for-the-price-of-one deals, you’ll be singing “I Will Always Love You.” Oh, I hope you Parton my excitement. 🎢
Add Bluetooth devices to your PC: If your Windows computer has Bluetooth, you can connect a wireless mouse or headset. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices and make sure Bluetooth is toggled On. Click Add device and choose Bluetooth. Put your gadget in pairing mode, select it when it shows up and hit Done.
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Know what you’re getting into: Before starting a new book, go to How Long to Read to see how much time it’ll take. Just search up the title name. For movies, try using Bingeclock, and for shows, Tiii.me. Good sites for when you’ve got two days, not two months to spare.
📦 QR code scam alert: The FBI says scammers are shipping fake “gifts” with QR codes that lure you into handing over personal info, or worse, downloading malware. No sender info, just a data breach waiting to happen. If a box shows up uninvited, don’t scan anything. Just toss it or enjoy your free salad spinner.
Stream your own drama: Fable Studio just got Amazon funding for Showrunner, an AI platform where you can script shows, insert yourself into episodes and get paid if others build on your story. It’s $10 to $40/month and launching publicly this week. Your next group chat meme could be a full TV episode.
🛍️ Get $20 after your first purchase: Try Kudos. It’s a free tool I love that helps you rack up the best credit card rewards automatically, no guesswork. It shows you which card gets you the biggest perks. Use code KIM, and you’ll get $20 back after your first purchase. Free money? Yes, please.
📹 No cellfies here: Turns out the FBI does have the “missing minute” from the Epstein prison footage. You know, the one that mysteriously vanished from the DOJ’s public video. The metadata shows it was recorded, just not released. Officials now claim the raw footage exists and shows nothing sketchy, obviously.
Data brokers sell your secrets to stalkers
Your data is for sale online. Anyone can buy it. Darius Belejevas, the Head of Incogni, shows me how stalkers get your personal info for cheap. Plus, monkey muggings in Bali, the Tea app data breach, and a shoe with a hidden slot for an AirTag.
See past edits in Google Docs: View earlier versions of a document by going to File > Version History > See version history. It shows what changed, who made the edits, and lets you restore old work. FYI: To restrict access, click the Share button (top right) and adjust the permissions.
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The number of early cancer cases spotted by new blood tests. A groundbreaking study caught cancer by using blood samples. Early detection through DNA signatures is the name of the game. Basically, finding Waldo before he even shows up. Though still under review, this might just redefine “better late than never.” Love that.
📺 Skip the app-hopping: Stream HBO Max, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and more, all inside Prime Video. Just log in on the web, click the Channels tab at the top and follow the prompts to subscribe. Now (almost) all your shows are in one place. So much easier.
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Hackers trick Gmail’s AI summaries
Gmail’s Gemini AI shows quick bullet-point summaries at the top of your emails, but scammers can slip in fake warnings using hidden text.
🙃 Take a people detox: Humans need each other. But sometimes you just want everyone to disappear. That’s not misanthropy, that’s “aloneliness”: the emotional ache of not getting enough alone time. New research shows even 15 minutes of solitude lowers stress, boosts creativity and dials down cortisol. So give yourself some me time today.
💪 Get in shape: MuscleWiki is a free workout tool that shows you exercises for every muscle group. Select Male or Female, then click on a muscle in the body map. You’ll get a list of exercises to choose from, each with a demo video and step-by-step instructions so you know exactly what to do.
😊 Emojis = happier relationships: A study shows that using emojis in texts can make your partner feel more appreciated. Why? Because apparently, it signals you’re paying more attention. But before you get carried away, remember that different generations don’t always interpret them the same way. Gen Z might see a 🙂 or 👍 as sarcastic.
250 million
That’s how many views over 9,000 pirated movies and shows pulled on YouTube, before anyone noticed. From Netflix exclusives to box office hits, pirates uploaded it all (paywall link). YouTube’s algorithm even gave them a boost.
🚨 Fake animal rescues on TikTok and Facebook: Scammers are editing real videos of older creators to make it look like they’re asking for help. One clip shows a man saying he has a story to tell, then it cuts to text: “you stayed 8 seconds so I don’t have to shut down my cat shelter.” Don’t click that donation link.
Trying to figure out who called you? Drop the digits into Facebook’s search bar and see what shows up. Use filters like Posts and Date Posted to narrow it down.