Freebie alert: Apps that pay you to play

There are plenty of apps that reward you for doing things you probably already do. Iâm sure youâve seen ads for them. Youâre not going to pay your rent from the rewards you earn, but you might get enough perks to make your otherwise pointless scrolling worth it.
Tech how-to: 4 secret things your TV can do

I always want you to get the most out of the goodies you buy. Your TV isn’t just for watching Netflix or live sports; with a little know-how, it can become a productivity powerhouse, a charging station, a photo album and a streaming hub (even if itâs old). Let me show you how.
âHow do I reset my old router?â
After I shared my router picks (and so many of you realized you have a TP-Link âŚ), my inbox is flooded with this one: âWhat do I do with my old router after I upgrade?â Good question. A factory reset wipes your username, password, Wi-Fi network name or SSID, and any security settings.
Step 1: Look for a small button on the back or bottom of your router. Itâs usually recessed (so youâll need a paper clip to press it in) and may be labeled âReset.â
Step 2: Do a 30-30-30 reset. Itâs a bit of a pain but works for every router model Iâve come across. Hereâs how:
- đ With your router plugged in, hold down the reset button for 30 seconds.
- While still pressing reset, unplug your router from the power source and count for another 30 seconds.
- Finally, still holding reset, reconnect the router to the power cord and count another final 30 seconds. Done!
Protect your data before catastrophe strikes â after is too late

I know you felt it because I did, too. Watching coverage of the Los Angeles fires and, now, the destruction left in their wake, has been heartbreaking. A reader emailed me: âPeople had very little time to gather anything before they had to leave their houses. I’d appreciate your advice on what to do before a catastrophe.â
DeepSeek told me some weird things

DeepSeek, the blockbuster AI chatbot from Communist China, told me that 95% of global internet traffic flows through undersea cables. That wasnât surprising, but what came next was:
This is from the state-approved chatbot thatâs gone viral for blocking anything Communist China deems inappropriate.
Sky-high car insurance rates? Blame it on all the tech in our cars

My car insurance just went up 32%. Did I have an accident or get a few tickets? Nope. Across the U.S., the average full-coverage car insurance bill went up 25% last year. In some states, it was closer to 40%. Geez.
The main reason? Todayâs high-tech vehicles cost way more to repair. You don’t need to own a high-tech car to feel the pinch, though; it’s hitting everyone.
Hacked on social media? Steps to take right now

The chances of your Instagram, X, Facebook, Amazon, Threads, Rumble, Twitch or other accounts getting taken over by spammy bots and data-stealing thieves have never been higher. So, donât sit there all smug, thinking, âOh, Kim, that could never happen to me!â
Delete location sharing apps â How to share in the ones you use

Location sharing helps you worry less. Whether your friendâs late for dinner, your kidâs almost home or your partnerâs on the way from the airport, it sure beats sending a bunch of texts back and forth.
The bad news is more and more location-sharing apps have been caught selling your data to third parties. You donât need a separate app for location sharing; itâs baked right into the apps you already use.
Most accurate weather apps depending on where you live

I was talking to my brother, who got 7 inches of snow in Florida the other day. Wow!
Weâre on the edge of a weather forecasting revolution. Googleâs AI weather forecasting system, GenCast, can predict as far out as 15 days with up to 97% accuracy. Weâre entering the age where severe weather will no longer surprise anyone.
How apps you use got hijacked into selling your location

Playing Candy Crush, swiping left on a dating app and checking your Yahoo inbox shouldnât expose your location. I say shouldnât, but those apps and thousands more were likely hijacked by data brokers who turned your personal info into cash.