Remember where you heard it first. With AI saving a click over to a website, it’s only a matter of time until we say RIP to surfing the web.
House swapping is hot right now – Do it the right way
Want to try out a new city or travel over the long term for cheap? You need to know about home swapping. There are dozens of home-swapping groups on Facebook for everyone from women over 50 to vegans who like baseball. But it’s not for everyone, and you have to do your homework.
Swap smart
My advice: Eat the fee the first time and use a third-party site to see if home swapping is for you. (I’ve got options and costs below.) You can try it by yourself to avoid fees, but be sure to do your due diligence and create an agreement.
🚩 Secrecy is the biggest red flag. If the other party refuses to video-chat on a platform like FaceTime or sign a formal agreement, move on. Ask about security systems and anyone else who has access to the property while you’re staying there, too.
What about your home?
If you’re a renter, check your rental agreement for restrictions and rules around subletting. And if you own your home and still owe on your mortgage, see if your loan agreement lets you rent your place.
Take precautions. Have a plan in place for unexpected maintenance problems and a local contact for your swapper to reach out to about plumbing issues, TVs or pests.
Lock any closets and rooms off-limits to guests, and store all your valuables in a portable safe (this one’s $19).
Insurance is part of this convo, too. Ask if your renter’s or homeowner’s policy extends to anyone you swap homes with. You may need additional coverage.
🦺 Guardhog and Pikl specialize in insurance just for home sharing. Who knew?
Arrivederci, beaches
When you’re getting started with home swapping, going through a vetted third-party website is your safest bet. Here are a few to check out:
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Use the NewsBreak app? Delete it. Here’s why
My husband, Barry, is a total news junkie. He has all the major news apps on his phone. That’s why this story stopped me in my tracks. NewsBreak, the most downloaded news app in the U.S., with more than 50 million readers per month, has strong ties to Communist China.
Calling all planners: Get the nitty-gritty details of your seat on your next flight with SeatGuru’s seat map tool. On your airline’s website, you just see the seat; it’s especially helpful to get more info for the tall and/or claustrophobic among us.
The age of websites comes to a close
Artificial intelligence is quickly transforming how we use the internet. If you rely on Google Search for clicks to your website, you might be in for a surprise.
✅ Check out my new website: Komando.com is now full of all kinds of surprises, including 60% less advertising, a search tool that actually works, and better ways to listen to my podcasts and watch my videos. Reply to this email and let me know what you think, or drop a comment when you rate this issue below.
Google is still the most-visited website in the world. What’s No. 2? Is it … A.) Facebook, B.) YouTube, C.) Wikipedia or D.) Chinese search engine Baidu?
$5 million
Fine for fake plastic surgery reviews. Seattle-based Dr. Javad Sajan will pay restitution to 21,000 victims after he forced them to sign nondisclosure agreements and threatened them when they left bad reviews. If you’re getting a life-changing procedure, do your research — and not just on the doc’s website.
Better AI prompts: For creative work, tell AI to write for a certain reading level. For the general public, that’s around an eighth-grade level. (No one needs to struggle to read your marketing, website or email copy.)
Have a Yelp page? Businesses that include their hours, phone number, website and a photo on Yelp get 7.6 times more pageviews per month. Dang. Log in and make sure yours is up to date!
🏨 I have no reservations about this travel tip: Google Wallet now lets you add hotel keys directly to your phone. Open the hotel’s website, app or email, and hit the Add to Google Wallet button. When you reach your room, hold your phone near the door handle to unlock it.
126 bird species
Haven’t been spotted for at least a decade. Are they extinct? Scientists aren’t sure. They’re turning to folks like you and me to keep a lookout. Think you’ve seen a purple-winged ground dove? Reach out at the official Lost Birds website with photo or audio evidence.
Smart TV scam alert: You log in to a streaming service and a pop-up message appears, saying there’s a problem and you need to call a number or visit a website to resolve it. The crook you talk to will ask for remote access or tell you to pay a fee. Don’t fall for it. If a service isn’t working, log into your account online or via the app to fix it.
Website detective: You can use this IP address tool to look up any URL. Click the IP address when it’s brought up to see where it’s located. Look for suspicious signs, like an American business with an IP address from somewhere overseas that just doesn’t make sense.
Because you’re not going to read it: Terms of Service; Didn’t Read is both a website and a browser add-on that summarizes the key points before you hit “Agree.”
Sneak peek: In Safari, preview a website before you click the link. Using your mouse, hover the pointer over the link, then press Cmd + Ctrl + D. Voila, a pre-click preview. Click outside the preview, and it disappears.
Stop using Good Earth Lighting: Over 1.2 million of their rechargeable lights are being recalled after a customer died. The batteries in models RE1122, RE1145, RE1362 and RE1250 can overheat, ignite the plastic housing, and pose serious fire and burn risks. Check the back sticker for a model number, and visit their website for a free replacement.
The election: Donate to the candidate's official website only
Just hours after last week’s verdict, the Trump campaign raised $35 million. That kind of money attracts cybercriminals with fake donation sites. Here’s how to avoid them.
The world is your spreadsheet: This free Chrome extension lets you add content from a website directly to a Google Sheet without copying and pasting. Making a trip itinerary? Right-click on location descriptions, booking links or prices to add them directly to a column! Pretty slick.