Everywhere you go online, there’s someone trying to sell you something. In fact, digital ad spending overtook traditional offline ads in 2019. Google may be a leader in online advertising, but it’s not the only option. Kim talks to Heath Shaffer, CEO and founder of NicheREV, about other options publishers are using to maximize their profits and what it means for consumers.
Kim's top 10 tech tips of 2020
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Covid-19, murder hornets and a presidential election: There’s no doubt 2020 has been a year for the books. Luckily, we had some amazing tech to make our daily lives easier. Zoom, for example, helped us socialize and work, even when we were stuck at home.
Of course, we’ve also seen new tech pop up this year. Tap or click here for 20 cool new gadgets that came out this year. Long story short: tech has been a lifesaver this year.
That’s why we’re taking a step back to celebrate our top tech tips of 2020. Which tip helped you the most? Maybe you’ll find a new favorite you missed when it came out!
1. Watch movies for free
Now that you’re stuck at home, you’re probably streaming more than ever. After all, there’s tons of incredible content out there. Here’s the problem, though: Platforms like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max can bite off a big chunk of your streaming budget each month.
Fortunately, you can watch some movies for free. From YouTube and Vudu to the Internet Archive, you’ve got countless options for free content. So put down the credit card and save yourself money — we did the research and found the best places to stream movies for free.
Tap or click here for the best sites to stream free movies.
2. Sanitize your packages
E-commerce has been a blessing for consumers and companies throughout the pandemic. In July, Amazon alone shipped 415 million packages, CNBC says. With so many hands touching your package from your initial order to its final delivery, you need to take safety precautions.
Did you know the coronavirus can stick to surfaces? You’ve got to disinfect your packages before bringing them indoors. Tap or click here to find out how to make your own disinfectant wipes.
Coronavirus clings to surfaces, so there’s no time to waste. Start leaving special delivery instructions to reduce face-to-face interaction, place your boxes outside for three hours and wash up afterward. Follow these steps, and you’ll cut down on the risk you take every time you order delivery.
Tap or click here to properly handle Amazon delivery boxes during the coronavirus pandemic.
These are the 20 worst passwords you can use
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It’s a tough balancing act to create a password that’s both strong and easy to remember. If you make your passwords too simple, you can actually put your accounts in danger of cyberattacks.
The strongest passwords always use a complex arrangement of numbers, letters and symbols that make them tricky to guess. If you don’t repeat characters, it can also be difficult for hackers to brute force them. Tap or click here to see our guide to stronger passwords.
Google Search alternatives that respect your privacy
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Between Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, and all the rest, the tech giant knows a ton about you. Let’s not forget about YouTube, the second-largest search site behind Google.
I recently showed you how you could take control of what appears when you search for yourself. Here’s my guide to doing an exhaustive search. Once you find what’s publicly available about you, take steps to delete anything that doesn’t sit well with you, from images of your home to personal photos.
Borrow this trick from pro broadcasters to stop work-from-home interruptions
Eight months after the pandemic was officially declared, many Americans are still working from home. The same goes for most of Kim’s staff, myself included.
If working from home is something you’re interested in, there are all kinds of occupations if you know where to look. Tap or click here for an extensive list of ways to make money from home.
How to find saved passwords
You know you need unique, hard-to-crack passwords for your accounts, and remembering those complex strings of letters, numbers and characters is a real struggle. That’s why it’s so easy to let your browser do the work for you. But what if you need to see your actual password, not just the auto-filled asterisks? You can with one simple trick.
Ditch your credit card: 3 safer ways to pay online
Shopping online with your credit card isn’t as safe as you think. Wherever there’s money involved, scammers gather. That’s why you need a secure method to pay or send money on the web. We’ll show you three options safer than your credit or debit card and help you settle on a new way to pay, shop and send money online.
Secret ways to dig up dirt on someone online
We’ve all been there: You meet someone new in your business or personal life and want to know more. You do a Google search and maybe look for the person on social media sites like Facebook or LinkedIn. But did you know there’s a way to get even more information from reliable sources? Kim shows you how to dig up dirt on anyone, without having to pay those shady people search sites.
A bug in Windows 10 means your passwords could disappear
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Software: Can’t live with it, can’t work without it. It sure would be nice if all computer programs worked the way they are supposed to every time we need them, but as you’re well aware, that’s not the case.
The reality is that bugs happen, and they happen often. Any Microsoft Windows user can tell you that much. A Windows patch that was released earlier this year fixed a whopping 113 bugs — and plenty of more updates have followed.
5 simple ways to keep your employees happy and productive
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In the age of COVID-19, the benefits of being in the office can be reduced across the board or eliminated. Many are even working from home. Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep your employees happy and productive during what can be a confusing time.
AirPods problems? Apple offering free replacements for faulty earbuds
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When it comes to the headphones you use with your smartphone, you have a ton of options. There are wired or wireless options, and some offer more bass and better sound quality for music fanatics while others focus on crystal-clear call quality instead.
Amazon Echo 2020 comparison chart
Are you looking to upgrade your current Echo smart speaker, or make the jump to other Alexa-enabled devices? Here’s the current list of Echo devices available now.
*Zigbee is a wireless protocol that allows Amazon Echo devices to communicate with otherwise incompatible smart home tech.
Poll: 1 in 3 Americans plan to buy the iPhone 12 - What you should know first
Apple.com
Are you pre-ordering the iPhone 12? Apple’s latest phone just went live for Americans to purchase, and Apple fans across the country are scrambling to get theirs before supplies run out.
Based on enthusiasm, we’d say this might happen pretty soon. According to a survey conducted by Wallethub, one in three Americans plan on buying the new iPhone this year — in spite of economic setbacks and COVID-19! Tap or click here to see everything we know about the iPhone 12.
Here's how much it costs to fix a broken iPhone 12 (Hint: It's a lot!)
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The iPhone 12 is finally here — and it’s jam-packed with features that make last year’s iPhone 11 look downright old-fashioned. It’s faster than ever, takes better photos and comes with new ceramic shield glass on its screen to protect it from falls.
New research: COVID can live on your phone for 28 days – How to properly disinfect yours
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Can you believe we’ve been dealing with coronavirus for nearly seven months already? It’s true. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic all the way back in March and things haven’t been the same since.
Thankfully there have been plenty of breakthroughs in technology since then that have made it easier to navigate life. Google Maps even added a hotspot tracker so you know if it’s safe to visit places you’re thinking about traveling to. Tap or click to see how it works.
Your passwords are exposed - here's what to do about it
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Pop quiz: How many passwords do you use online? It’s probably more than you can remember right away, and most of the world is right there with you. According to a report from cybersecurity firm Digital Shadows, the average person uses 191 services that require passwords — and more than 15 billion stolen credentials are in circulation. That’s a 300% increase since 2018!
The biggest privacy feature coming to your iPhone is delayed - here's why
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Now that fall is right around the corner, Apple fans have a lot to look forward to. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a new iPhone is still on the way — as well as a plethora of new features and software updates in iOS 14, Apple’s upcoming release.
9 jobs in high demand - and the skills you need to get one
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The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reshaped the job market, and the changes we see may last for years to come. Millions of Americans are still jobless compared to pre-pandemic levels, and many of the jobs that existed before March of this year won’t be coming back