TikTok Archives

Scroll-stopping swag

Kim Komando

Yup, that’s me during my ’90s big hair infomercial days as the Komputer Tutor, teaching America how to conquer their computers one VHS tape at a time.

Before TikTok and Instagram, there were late-night infomercials, and wow, we bought it all. Remember the ThighMaster? The Flowbee? The Clapper? “Set it and forget it!”

Fast-forward to today, and social media’s the new infomercial.

But for every gem, there are a hundred gadgets that don’t work or break after a week. I sorted through the chaos to find the internet-famous products that actually live up to the hype. Even better? They make fantastic gifts, for others or yourself. You’ve earned it.

📽️ 1. Portable mini projector ($45, 59% off)

Connects with your phone to turn any room into a cinema (even your backyard).

💡 2. Clip-on selfie ring light ($12, 29% off)

Basically, it’s studio lighting that clips to your phone and fits in your pocket.

👕 3. Shirt folding board ($17, 26% off)

Breeze through laundry day. Folds your shirts faster than retailers on Black Friday.

🍝 4. Clip-on pots & pans strainer ($8.50, 29% off)

Silicone grip = no slipping, no mess. Plus, it saves you from washing extra dishes.

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Early Labor Day deals

🪥 My pick: Oral-B iO electric toothbrush (30% off)

Save your gums and your dentist’s judgmental sighs. Bonus: includes a free travel case.

😁 Crest Gum Detoxify Plus (24% off, three-pack): Sensitivity protection + whitening + cavity control = your mouth’s dream team.

🍋 Garbage disposal cleaner tablets (36% off): A year’s supply of citrusy, gunk-free drains? Yes, please.

🧼 Tide PODS laundry detergent (15% off): These little guys pack twice the punch as regular laundry soap.

🩷 The Pink Stuff multipurpose cleaner (46% off): TikTok’s cleaning queen. Basically, elbow grease in a bottle.

🐶 Earth Rated dog poop bags (17% off): My unsung hero for every dog walk. Extra thick, no leaks, no disasters.

🐦 Early bird gets the bargains: Click this secret link, and load up before the weekend rush. My Amazon page has more steals you’ll love.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

ChatGPT ruined my husband

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Her ex quit his job and now spends his days talking to AI. Then I talk to Michaela, a bride-to-be using ChatGPT for a wedding glow-up. Plus, why your smart TV might already be obsolete, and TikTok pet psychics charging $100 a session.

⌚️ Don’t mess with Larry: Not really tech, but this is great! A scammer thought she could hustle 87-year-old Larry outside a senior center by swapping his nice Rolex for a fake one. She pulled her move, he pulled a judo-like arm twist. Boom, she face-planted into her own car. TikTok is eating it up. Moral of the story: Larry is basically John Wick but with early bird specials.

11:37 p.m.

The average bedtime for American adults. We’re clocking six hours and 40 minutes of sleep a night, well below the recommended seven to nine. People who stick to the same bedtime get 40 extra minutes of rest and spend 36% less time tossing and turning. TikTok will still be there tomorrow. Promise.

🛍️ Stop doomscrolling: Start deal scrolling. Amazon’s Shop By Interest tab is like TikTok for bargain hunters. Just tap Explore and pick an interest (like DIY Home Improvement). Boom, less brain rot and more “look what I got.”

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

🎶 TikTok goes wholesome: There’s a new TikTok trend where people just post about a nice day. That’s it. Reminds me of Facebook’s early days when politics and influencer ads didn’t bombard you. A couple photos, soft rock and a caption like “golf + burgers = good.” They call it “Dudes Rock,” but it’s gender-neutral, just celebrating small wins.

Your children’s minds trapped by these apps

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What sounds like the plot of a horror novel is already real life. Social media apps like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram are designed to hook children in minutes, sparking mood swings, depression, and full-blown addiction. Here’s what every parent and grandparent needs to know.

✈️ Board to be wild: “Airport theory” videos on TikTok dare you to show up 15 minutes before boarding. Maybe you’ll get lucky with TSA PreCheck or a delay, but odds are you’re dropping $400 on a rebook and crying at a Holiday Inn. Most clips are staged. Real advice? Two hours domestic, three for international.

Ring of suspicion: Oura announced a Texas plant to make rings for the Department of Defense. TikTok spiraled into conspiracy theories about Palantir “stealing” user data and Oura suing rivals into extinction. The CEO even hopped on TikTok to debunk them.

Social stalker tech: TikTok Shop has GPS trackers with viral videos literally teaching people how to spy on their partners. One got 5 million views. The cheapo trackers with a SIM card (over 100,000 sold) are still on sale all over for as little as $12. If your relationship needs a GPS tracker, maybe it needs therapy instead. Just saying.

📬 Dad jokes? I think you mean pun-ishment: A retired teacher with a Ph.D. is handwriting hundreds of emotional, intentionally corny letters to strangers who just want a dad-style pep talk. The “Dad Letter Project” exploded overnight on TikTok. It’s like getting a warm hug and a bad joke from someone else’s highly literate father. No AI. Just authentic dad energy. So awesome. Speaking of… “Dad, are we pyromaniacs?” “Yes, we arson.” 🔥

Their faces went viral without them: TikTok paid actors as little as $500 to license their faces for AI avatars (paywall link), which are now appearing in ads for horoscope apps, supplements and insurance quotes, even in other languages, sometimes on other platforms like YouTube. The actors don’t get royalties, can’t control the content and didn’t realize how far it would go. It was all in the fine print.

He sold his face to TikTok for $750

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Now his AI twin is pushing supplements worldwide. I also cover Gen Z’s new job slang, the next crypto scam wave, how to actually crack YouTube’s algorithm, and ChatGPT’s latest trick as a Tech Support Advisor.

67

The number that turned a rap lyric into Gen Alpha’s secret handshake. It started in a drill song, got memed onto NBA star LaMelo Ball and now lives on TikTok as flashy edits and a bouncing hand gesture. He’s 6’7” but plays small, the beat drops, they say “67,” and that’s it. No meaning. Welcome to Gen Alpha.

Why smart cars are getting dumber

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Smart car perks are disappearing. George, your AI host, explains why features like GPS, remote start, and app controls are being dropped from Acura, Mazda, Subaru, and more. Plus: AI pregnancy robots, smart mirror privacy risks, TikTok’s dad letter trend, and simple hacks for your phone and Kindle.

TikTok’s new craze: A 9-year-old camera. Yep, the social media gods have crowned the Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS as the best point-and-shoot camera for that “perfectly imperfect” vibe. It was $360 new in 2016. Now it’s out of stock on Canon’s site, and used ones are selling for up to $600. Nostalgia always cashes in.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Turn 10 seconds into $30K

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Those short clips for TikTok? They’re super lucrative. Plus, Auntie Anne’s takes to the skies with new drone delivery, why Amazon is now selling used cars, and how one woman got a real engagement ring from her AI boyfriend.

🦶🏻 Off on the wrong foot: A viral TikTok told her selling feet pics was “easy money.” In reality? She paid a $5 platform fee, submitted ID, built a brand and made $0, which somehow feels worse than being a SoundCloud rapper. She didn’t hit “rock bottom,” but she did step on it.

🗣️ AI’s new favorite party trick? Stealing your TikTok rants, word-for-um-filled-word, and deepfaking them with a totally different face and voice. A wild “incinerator at Alligator Alcatraz” video hit 20M views, copied from a real person, made by a robot. And TikTok barely flinched. Next up: a deepfake of you reacting to this deepfake.