Tech homework: Are you getting the internet speed you pay for? 🚀

November 12, 2024

Test yours at SpeedTest.net to see. If things are slow, it might be time for a full system reboot to clear glitches and restore your speeds. Here’s the right way to do it:

Turn off everything. That’s your modem and router, or yours may be one combined unit.
Wait a full minute. Seriously, count it out!
Turn on the modem first. Give it time to boot completely, then power up the router. Restart your computer and you should be blazin’.

Tags: internet speeds, modems, routers, speedtest.net

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Protect all your devices with the best antivirus software

When it comes to antivirus software, there’s no better choice than our sponsor, TotalAV. For one, it’s available for your phone and computer, so all your devices are protected.

This security suite protects all your devices from the scariest online threats, such as ransomware, spyware, adware and (of course) malware. Its WebShield browser extension provides advanced protection against malicious websites and even blocks bad guys from stealing your data.

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Free online financial calculators to get debt under control, plan for retirement and see your net worth

If you need help managing your money, you’ve come to the right place. We have tons of financial tips for investors and small business owners. Case in point: Here are 10 free spreadsheet templates to help you get a handle on your money.

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A new credit card fee: Several credit card companies, including Citibank and Synchrony Bank, are charging a $1.99 monthly fee for paper statements. Printing and mailing costs financial institutions $600 million, so they want us to pay for it. Call your card company and ask them to email you the “Schumer box.” It’s an easy-to-read table of all their fees.

Over 50 countries

Offer digital nomad visas, letting you live and work there for months or even years. Thailand’s, for example, can be renewed for up to five years. Other top destinations include Spain, the Netherlands and Norway. Here’s the full list. You can find me in the Seychelles.

Use AI to plan your next vacation

I’m going to Europe soon, and planning my trip was a breeze. Yes, really! AI did a big chunk of the work for me — and it can help you plan your next getaway, too. Here are a few ways to turn AI into your travel agent. For this, let’s stick with using the big bots:

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Drowning in duplicate photos? Here's how to declutter your digital memories

I remember my parents saying, “Kim, stop wasting the film.” Oh, yes, this was back when we’d put film in a camera, take up to 36 pictures, then wait for the roll to get developed to see if any of the shots were good. Those days are long gone, fortunately.

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🚨 “Are Bengal cats legal in Australia?” Type that into Google Search and you’re in trouble. Hackers are creating fake websites and hijacking real ones to land at the top for popular search terms. No kidding, cat sites are a big target. Once you’re there, the goal is to get you to download a zip file. Safety first: Never download anything from a website you stumbled upon.

🎞️ Coming to (paid) Google Workspace in the next few days: Google’s AI-powered Vids app pops out presentations with just a prompt. Describe what you want, drop in files or documents, and Gemini does the rest. The app adds stock footage, generates a script and provides an AI voiceover. Will it make presentations better? Sitting through a PowerPoint presentation is like a mix between a root canal and a colonoscopy … but without the luxury of anesthesia to take the edge off.

Not a cure for loneliness: Big Tech says AI tools like Replika let you create a virtual AI companion. The more you chat and pay per month, the more it adapts its tone to become a friend you think you can trust. Remember, you never know what the developers taught it or will take away in a nanosecond.

💻 So long, farewell: The latest version of Windows 11 (24H2) isn’t just routine updates; it also removes some apps, including WordPad, Paint 3D and Tips. To update, go to Settings > Windows Update and enable Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available. FYI, support for Windows 10 ends on Nov. 14, 2025.