Keep it hush-hush

October 10, 2024

🤐 Keep it hush-hush: If you need a new Incognito or Private mode browsing window, press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + N (macOS). Firefox does this differently; here, swap the “N” for P. Keep in mind these modes don’t make what you do truly private; they just stop it from becoming part of your algorithm and saved searches.

Tags: Incognito mode, Mozilla Firefox, private browsing, shortcuts

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Quick privacy win: Clear cookies on your phone

There’s a question I find myself asking a lot with tech products and services: “Is it worth it?” I’m not just talking about money, though, yes, I’m hoping my new $1,200 iPhone will be worth it (eesh).

Privacy is a cost, too. With every “free” service you get, you’re handing over something in return.

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How to stay safe on public Wi-Fi

You don’t leave your front door unlocked. So why would you use public Wi-Fi networks without protection? Defend your private data from cybercriminals in public places with these five tips.

If you listen to The Kim Komando Show and Kim’s podcasts, you know about digital dangers. Accessing the internet via public Wi-Fi networks can heighten these risks even more.

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🏥 When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble: The next time you’re at the doctor, AI could be eavesdropping on everything you say and adding it to your health records. Ambient AI transcribes and organizes patient notes in real time. Sure, it cuts down on admin time, but AI can hallucinate facts and might use your sensitive data for training. You can decline it … for now. Just tell your doc, “No AI for me.”

What percentage of Americans admit to routinely spying on their partner’s phone and checking their text messages?

Find the answer here →

150 minutes per week

Exercise time found to lower your risk of diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension and 250-plus other diseases. You don’t need to work out daily to hit that goal, either. A new study shows weekend warriors who go on long hikes, bike rides — whatever — instead of exercising a bit each day experience the same benefits. I hear you: “Exercise? I thought you said extra fries.”

⚠️ Don’t lose your work: A bug in Microsoft 365 Word (version 2409, build 18025.20104) is deleting local files instead of saving them. The error happens after you edit a doc and then close Word. It’s more likely to happen if your file name includes a “#” character or a capitalized extension, like “DOCX” or “RTF.” Temporary fix? Hit Save manually instead of waiting for the prompt.

Google isn’t going to hand your location to the police anymore: Location History (aka Timeline) tracks your every move, and cops were able to pull your data from Google’s servers if you were near a crime scene at the wrong time. Now it’s being stored on-device only, so police will have to come to you directly with a warrant.

27 years old

When Gen Z says adulthood starts. So what constitutes being an adult? In this survey, 56% of Gen Zers say it’s when you can pay your own bills (paywall link). When did you feel like a real adult? For me, it was age 20, and I was selling computers for IBM.

In a world of e-signatures and PIN numbers: Kids can’t sign their own names anymore, and traditional signatures are becoming a thing of the past. Only one-fifth of young adults ages 18 to 24 have a personal signature. Some can’t even produce the same one consistently. Yessiree, writing my name in cursive is no longer a signature move. (Did I just see you shake your head?)

I like big bots: If you play poker online, you might be facing off against bots. It’s shifted the game from human psychology and bluffing to mathematical strategies and percentages. The result? Bots are winning more often, even beating sharks sitting at the virtual table.