track Archives

Time-saving tricks using your keyboard

I spend hours and hours (and hours) online every week looking for the latest in tech for my national radio show, podcasts and, of course, newsletter.

I rounded up eight browser keyboard shortcuts I use so you can spend less time clicking around for the right button, too.

4 if you’re always in Word or Google Docs

These tricks make work (or writing the novel you always wanted to get to) so much faster and easier.

Just the text: Drop in text from somewhere else — without all the formatting coming with it. Use Ctrl + Shift + V to paste in whatever text you’ve copied, stripped completely of the source formatting.
Swift selections: Make sure your cursor is before (or after) the text you’d like to select, then hold down Shift and use the left or right arrows to expand your selection, one character at a time. Ctrl + Shift + the left or right arrows will allow you to select the remainder of a line.
Get in the mode: Need to track your changes? Switch between editing modes by holding down Ctrl + Shift + Alt, then tap X to suggest changes, Z to edit directly or C to just view the document, not edit it.
Do it in style: Easily change your text formatting by holding down Ctrl + B for bold, Ctrl + I for italics and Ctrl + U for underlining. You already knew that? OK, but what about holding down Shift + X for strikethrough text, Shift + . (period) to superscript something and Shift + , (comma) for subscripting? I thought so!

3 tricks for tabs

These genuine timesavers work in most popular browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.

Closing time: Hit Ctrl + W (Windows) or Cmd + W (macOS) to shut down the browser tab you’re currently looking at. If you close a tab by accident, use Ctrl + Shift + T (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + T (macOS) to bring it back.
Tab cycling: On Windows and macOS, you can use Ctrl + Tab to scroll through open tabs (yeah, all 200 of them). Hold down Shift as well to go in the opposite direction.
Turn over a new tab: Hit Ctrl + T (Windows) or Cmd + T (macOS) on your keyboard to open a new tab and jump straight to it. If you want a new window, use Ctrl + N (Windows) or Cmd + N (macOS).

2 ways to stay in the flow

Keep scrolling, scrolling, scrolling: Engrossed in something online? Tap the spacebar to scroll down the page and keep reading without looking away. Shift + spacebar takes you back in the other direction.
Eyes on the prize: Follow an interesting link without losing focus while reading. Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (macOS) when you click on a web link to open it in a new tab while you stay on your current tab. Add the Shift key to open a link in a new tab and jump straight to it.

2 ways to re-trace your steps

Follow the breadcrumbs: You know those “back” and “forward” buttons in your browser? You can do the same with your keyboard, no clicking required — hold down Alt (Windows) or Cmd (macOS), then tap the left or right arrow button to explore your browsing history in the current tab.
Save your page: Press Ctrl + D (Windows) or Cmd + D (macOS) to bookmark the current webpage so you can get back to it later. Your browser will throw up a dialog box you can use to sort the bookmark into a folder.

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$16K for a car battery? Only if you drive an EV …

Here’s a shocker you need to know: Replacing the battery in an electric vehicle can set you back up to $50,000. For those of you keeping track at home, that’s more than a brand-new Tesla Model 3. I’m not beating up Tesla. All EV carmakers hope you don’t figure this out.

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I need a better way to …

Clean the blinds. Use this microfiber tool made for the job and only $7.
Charge all my stuff. Grab a handy charging station with five USB slots.
Track my weight for the doc. Smart scales do it for you.
Get organized. Love this huge pack of different-shaped sticky notes for 55% off!
Stay hydrated. This 90-serving container of electrolytes is cheaper than the single-serve packets and they taste great.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🌊 Stream on: Make your music flow more smoothly with crossfade. This forces your songs to transition from one into the next instead of ending abruptly, pausing and starting the next track. On Spotify, go to Settings > Playback > Crossfade. In Apple Music, head to Settings > Apple Music > Crossfade.

California tests car tracking to tax your driving

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California’s new road charge will track your mileage and charge you a fee based on how far you drive. Here’s my take in this short podcast.

Spy versus spy: mSpy is a surveillance app used to track children, relatives and romantic partners without their consent. Hackers just exposed the identities of millions of customers, and the list includes senior U.S. military personnel, a U.S. federal judge and a government watchdog. Juicy stuff.

500 catalytic converters

Are stolen every month in Los Angeles County. It was 900 per month a few years ago. Police there are curbing thefts by etching VINs onto catalytic converters, making them easier to track. Give your local police a ring to see if they offer something like this. If not, ask them, “Why not?” I had the converter stolen out of my truck. What a pain.

Stud muffin

Mike wrote in to ask me for stud finder recommendations. I told him to look in the mirror. Then, I asked around and found three I can confidently recommend.

Old reliable: The price is steep (29% off, $52.95), but this one’s 13 sensors track stud locations and 13 LED lights show you the center and edges of your studs. It reads depths up to 1.6 inches and runs on two AA batteries.
Cheap: Find the edges of wood and metal studs with this no-frills model from Craftsman. It scans up to a 0.75-inch depth and requires a 9V battery (not included). It’s 9% off ($10.97).
Magnetic: Run this little guy ($11.95) along the wall, hit the metal stud, and pop! goes the super magnet. This is the one for me. Maybe for you, too?

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🦈 Fin-tastic app for summer travels: Want to know where the sharks are? Researchers track sharks (not all) in this free app. Or use the map on their site.

🔍 AirTag vs. Google’s Find My Device: Both devices were mailed to another state in an unofficial test. The AirTag continuously updated its location, while the Android tracker took 11 hours to ping its new whereabouts. At one point, the Find My Device tracker even lost track of its location. This is why I keep an AirTag in my cars.

P*rn passport: Spain is testing a new way to confirm the age of p*rn viewers on websites — digital passports. Once you verify you’re over 18, you’ll get 30 tokens good for 30 days. The Spanish government says it won’t track users’ activity or keep records of their identities. You can bet the U.S. government is keeping an eye on how it goes.

Tech to catch political sign thieves: Campaign staffers are putting Apple AirTags in their political posters to track stolen property and find the crooks. At $29 per AirTag, it’s cheaper than hiring a PI and more effective than watching security footage.

🏠 Real estate therapy: Browsing Zillow is the new way to manage stress (paywall link). Some folks look at homes within their budget, imagining what could be. Others browse properties worse than their current digs to feel grateful. I have my old homes and rentals saved so I get alerts when they change hands. It’s fun to track!

Track your health: More doctors are incorporating the Apple Watch into patient care, especially for managing diseases. Case in point (paywall link): A woman with atrial fibrillation sends data from her watch to her doc to make sure her medication and lifestyle are on point. Want one? Check out the Apple Watch SE, Series 9 or Ultra 2.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🦏 Stop smugglers: South African scientists are implanting nontoxic radioactive isotopes into rhino horns. This makes them unsuitable for consumption (they’re used in traditional medicines) and easier to track. This could save other endangered species, too, like elephants and pangolins, if it works. Isn’t that amazing?

Tighten up: Smartwatches track most accurately when the strap fits well. Swap the loose-fitting band that slips around on your arm for an adjustable model.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Stalker alert: A North Carolina man used Snapchat’s live location feature to track down a woman in an attempted kidnapping. He found her in a parking lot and held her at gunpoint before she convinced him to let her go. The creep has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Please, turn off location sharing in your apps.

25 years in orbit

The journey of a long-lost spy satellite. The U.S. launched the satellite in 1974, lost track of it in the ’90s, and rediscovered it this month when its sensor came back online. Guess it wasn’t MIA — just MIO (missing in orbit).

Spot the ISS in the sky

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The International Space Station orbits Earth every 90 minutes. Here’s how to track if it’s above you.

🦈 Fin-tastic app: Want to know where the sharks are? Researchers track sharks (not all) in this free app. Or use the map on their site.