AI-pocalypse

AI-pocalypse: OpenAI admits ChatGPT might, kinda, almost help with creating bioweapons. Its study, with 100 brainy participants, showed AI is just 9% better than humans when it comes to cooking up evil schemes. I don’t feel any better about that.

Tags: AI (artificial intelligence), cooking


Even if your iPhone dies, it can still do these 3 things

Your mobile phone is a lifeline to many daily activities. It is often the first thing we reach for in the mornings to check social media or pour over the latest news with a cup of coffee. It also keeps us in touch with family and friends.

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📅 Bookmark this: Time and Date has a ton of different calculators. I like the one that helps you find the exact time between two dates. Excellent for planning across different time zones, too.

Too long, won’t read

Yes, it’d be nice if we could wave a magic wand to make every privacy policy as readable as possible. The next best thing? Use Ctrl + F on your keyboard for Windows or Cmd + F on a Mac to quickly search for these terms:

  • Your data is worth a lot. Search for “sell,” “partners” and “affiliates” to see if it’s being sold.
  • Sections like “How we collect your personal data” show what a company gathers from you and how it does it.
  • Try something like “How we use your personal information” to get the company’s take on why they need your data in the first place. FYI, a phrase like “business purposes” almost always means they share it.
  • “Geolocation” and “geotargeting” indicate your location information is collected. I opt out when I can.
  • Watch for references to “COPPA,” or the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, to see how a company protects your kid’s data.

🖊️ There’s a free resource that does all this for you, btw. Terms of Service Didn’t Read is a website and a browser add-on that summarizes the key points before you hit “Agree.”

My shredder is so lonely: Stop preapproved credit cards and insurance offers coming to your physical mailbox with OptOutPrescreen. You can stop offers for five years or forever. I picked forever.

🔋 Organized juicing: Make life easier by setting up designated charging stations for gadgets you use constantly, like your phone, earbuds and smartwatch. Place a few stations throughout your house so you don’t have to drag cords from room to room. I love this one!

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

🖨️ Clever printer hack: Dust can cause unexpected problems with your printer. Open the paper trays, remove any paper, then use a handheld vacuum cleaner to suck up the dust. You can also blow it out with compressed air.

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

A big Komando welcome … to our new sponsor, Philmore Video Voicemail. If you own a business, check it out. With their app, you can share videos with customers and receive video messages from them. So sweet!

📚 When the e-book is … complicated: Activate Word Wise on your Kindle to get brief definitions above tricky words. Open your book, then tap the Aa menu. Select More, then Word Wise. Toggle it on.

Germ buster: Grab a sanitizing wipe and give your computer mouse, remote controls and car keyfob a cleanup. Bonus points if you also wipe down your front doorknob.

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

💤 Give your tech a breather: A restart ends background processes, clears the cache and RAM, and speeds up things. After you read this newsletter, turn your phone off and back on. Do the same with your computer for extra credit!