CapCut’s hidden side: Think CapCut’s just a video-editing app? Nope, it’s TikTok’s little cousin without seat belts. No parental controls, weak age checks, and kids can run into strangers or even see posts with phone numbers. Docs say it fuels oversharing and self-esteem hits. If your kid’s using it, check their settings, peek at their uploads and talk about what not to share.
Your streaming bill is robbing you blind
ChatGPT
On my national radio show, I mentioned that the average American spends $110 a month on streaming subscriptions. Add in $80+ for decent internet, and suddenly cable doesn’t look so evil.
My inbox exploded: “Kim, how do I lower my streaming bill?”
The short answer: You’re paying for stuff you’re not even watching. Let’s fix that.
🕵️ Start with a ‘streaming audit’
How many of these are you signed up for right now? Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Peacock, Prime Video … and maybe a couple of sneaky ones like BritBox or Discovery+ you forgot about after a “free trial.”
Step 1: Check your bank or card statement for charges from:
- Google, Apple, Amazon (they love hiding subscriptions under friendly names).
- Random charges like “BILLINGSTREAMLLC” (actual scammy name I’ve seen).
- Pro tip: Use Rocket Money, they scan your accounts and flag forgotten or sneaky subscriptions.
Step 2: Open your smart TV or phone. Which apps are collecting digital dust? If it’s been more than a month since you watched something, unsubscribe. Most services save your watch history, so you can pick up where you left off later.
💸 Go full cheapskate (but in style)
You’d be shocked how good free streaming is these days. Yeah, there are ads, but you don’t get a bill.
- Tubi: Classic movies, thrillers and more ’90s vibes than a Delia’s catalog.
- Pluto TV: News, sitcoms, reality reruns and channels you didn’t know you missed.
- The Roku Channel: Solid flicks and weirdly addictive Roku originals.
- Plex: It started as a way to stream your own stuff, now it offers tons of free content.
- Kanopy & Hoopla: If you’ve got a library card, you’ve got access to tons of award-winning movies, docs and even binge-worthy TV. Free. Legit. No strings.
🎯 Question of the day
When gone isn’t goodbye
Kim Komando
🕯️ This is very personal.
An AI company reached out to me recently with an interesting offer. They’d take the photos, videos and voice recordings I have of my mom and use them to create an AI version of her. Not a slideshow or tribute video. Something interactive. When they were done, I could talk to my AI mom and have it talk back to me.
46%
The higher your hemorrhoid risk if you linger on the toilet like it’s a spa day. Doctors now say “three minutes max,” which means your bathroom isn’t a binge-scrolling sanctuary, it’s a ticking rectal time bomb. “One more video” is how civilizations fall … and colons, too.
📱 iOS 26: The Camera app’s been fully redesigned. At the bottom, everything revolves around two main buttons: Video and Photo. Swipe left from Video for capture modes like Slo-Mo, or right from Photo for modes like Portrait. Once you’ve picked a mode, swipe up for options like Flash and other controls.
Smart glasses are spyware
Kim Komando
That’s me, virtually trying on Meta’s glasses on their website, doing my best Tom Cruise Risky Business impersonation. Spoiler, I didn’t buy them.
These remind me of Google Glass. Those awkward $1,500 face computers from 2013 that made you look like a cyborg at brunch. They launched with a ton of hype and died just as fast.
⚡ Apple Pay’s “free money”: You have to see this TikTok of a woman crying because she thought Apple Pay was Apple’s way of giving her money. She thought every tap, every time she accepted cookies and every app she downloaded earned her cash. I bet she thinks American Express is a train. Watch the short video here. Real or not? Let me know when you rate the newsletter at the end.
Five stars, zero shame: Walmart’s online marketplace is booming, but so are the scams. A CNBC probe found 43 shady sellers using stolen business IDs and fake reviews to sell bogus products. Unlike Amazon, Walmart skips video interviews and makes EIN docs optional. Pro tip: Filter reviews by “verified purchase.”
🍿 Wicked early: Be the family hero. Amazon Prime members can now snag tickets to see Wicked: For Good on Nov. 17. That’s a full four days before the official release. Just click here, so you don’t miss out. You can shop for Oz-themed merch and stream the first movie on Prime Video to get ready in style.
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Meta’s new smart glasses come in two flavors: Oakley Meta ($449) for sporty types with 3K video, 12MP photos, eight-hour battery and rugged, polarized lens options. Or go sleek with Ray‑Ban Display ($799) for AR in your lens, hands-free texting, calling and navigation. So if you see anyone wearing these, you’re probably being recorded.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On YouTube desktop, press 0 on your keyboard to restart a video instantly. Or hit numbers 1 through 9 to jump to that percentage of the playback. Nice.
Robo-blitz incoming: Amazon is layering AI over NFL broadcasts like queso on fries. You’ll gradually start noticing video game-like overlays on Thursday Night Football. You’ll see if your QB’s about to get pancaked, whether your team has even a prayer of a comeback and which defender’s sneaking up to ruin the drive. I love tight ends.
📄 Type faster in Google Docs: Instead of retyping long phrases, create shortcuts that expand into full text. Go to Tools > Preferences > Substitutions and tick Automatic substitution. To add your own, type “YTV” under Replace and “YouTube video” under With, then hit OK. Next time you type YTV, it auto-changes to YouTube video. Nice.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Want a YouTube video to play on repeat? On desktop, right-click the video and select Loop. Great for study beats, background music or white noise.
🛸 Missile vs. UFO: Congress just dropped a wild video of a U.S. drone firing a Hellfire missile at a glowing orb off Yemen. The missile bounced off. I’m no military expert, but that’s not business as usual. Veterans testified they’ve seen triangles, cubes and Tic Tacs in the sky, claiming the government buried reports and retaliated against whistleblowers.
📺 RIP Freevee: Amazon’s free streaming service, used by millions, is officially gone. Open the app now, and you’ll be redirected to a site to download Prime Video instead. The silver lining? Some of Freevee’s original shows will still be on Prime, and you won’t need a membership to watch. Cue tiny violin.
Turn off Game Mode in Windows 11: It’s meant to optimize gaming, but if you’re not playing, it can hurt performance by limiting background processes. Go to Settings > Gaming > Game Mode and toggle it off. If you have a low to mid-range PC, you’ll see a little boost in multitasking and video editing.
▶️ YouTube PiP on Chromebook: You can keep a YouTube video running while working on other tasks. Place your cursor on the video player, double-tap with two fingers on the touchpad, and select Picture in picture. A floating window will appear that you can resize and move anywhere on your screen.
▶️ Add a channel trailer on YouTube: Give potential subscribers a preview of what to expect. Log in to YouTube and go to YouTube Studio > Customization > Home tab > Layout. Click + Add section > Channel trailer, pick the video you want, and hit Publish. Pro tip: Swap it out every few weeks to keep things fresh.
📼 Own it? Not really: A new lawsuit says Amazon’s “Buy” button on video downloads is misleading, because what you’re really buying is a long-term rental they can take back anytime. A new California law backs the claim. So if your “purchased” movie vanishes next week, well, that’s legal. Somewhere, your dusty DVD collection is cackling.