Howdy, Tuesday! Tech brain teaser time. Why does the Apple logo have a bite taken out of it? Is it because … it was a nod to “byte,” they wanted to make sure everyone knew it was an apple or because Steve Jobs loved apples? The answer’s at the end, friends.

🎉 Exciting news! We just launched our new and much-improved Tech Hacks newsletter to make your digital life easier and more enjoyable. To celebrate, we’re giving away a prize every day this week to Tech Hacks readers. Sign up now while you’re thinking about it! — Kim

You're browsing Facebook and see flashy ads for artificial intelligence (AI) tools from OpenAI, Midjourney and Google. They claim there's a huge development, and all you have to do is click.

As Admiral Ackbar would say, "It's a trap!" Hackers are developing sophisticated ads and using verified profiles on Facebook to publish them so they get right past that scam ad filter.

They’ve got a tough target

Unlike many fraudulent ads and phishing attempts, these scams aren’t targeting the technologically illiterate; they’re going after people who know the value of AI. 

Some of the ads simply advertise AI's "latest huge development" to attract the curious. Others promise big bucks, using the companies’ real logos and graphics, so it all looks legit.

It’s all in the link

All these ads sneak in a link that’s supposed to take you to download a chatbot or ask a question to fix a big problem. Uhh, that link will not take you to a helpful AI query.

But it will download a big heap of malware onto your device to steal passwords, info associated with crypto wallets and any other valuable credentials you may be storing in your browser. Some even imitate real AI websites to ask for virus-laced sign-ups.

How to dodge these frauds

First, take everything you see on social media with a huge grain of salt. A little skepticism can go a long way! But to stay away from these tech-friendly scams, a couple of simple steps will do:

• Look beyond the surface. Don't trust a logo or URL alone. Don't believe reports about special deals or limited-time downloads. And don't trust the name of any download, either. That file may be called Best-ChatGPT-Ever-Promise, but you’d better believe it's delivering malware like Doenerium to your hard drive.
• Get the official app. We’ve had the official OpenAI ChatGPT iOS app for months. Pre-register now for the Android version and be among the first to get it next week. There are tons of fake apps out there. 

✅ Do your part! Warn an exhausted crypto bro or the innocent aunt in your life so they don't fall for it. We're all in this together. Use the buttons below to share.

😲 The flying nark: CJ Sveen said his insurance company dropped him based on drone photos surveying his California backyard. The drone spotted hazardous junk and even took pics of it — and that was enough for his insurer to cancel his homeowner’s policy. 

iMust update: You do, too, if you have an iPhone. iOS 16.6 includes “important bug fixes and security updates.” While you’re at it, upgrade the rest of your Apple gear. Mac users, you’re up to macOS 13.5.

💃 “Bougie broke”: The new TikTok term means you're broke but don't look like it. These folks use peel-and-stick wallpaper, serve cheap champagne ultra-cold and wear knock-off watches. We used to call it “living on a budget.”

Need for speed: Thinking about an iPhone upgrade? The iPhone 15 Pro coming this fall is rumored to support Wi-Fi 6E — which is speedier and safer to use. The catch: You need a Wi-Fi 6E router to get the benefits.

Another wallet hit: Spotify is upping prices for the first time in a decade. The premium individual plan is going up $1 to $10.99 per month. The duo plan is now $14.99 a month, a $2 increase. It never stops.

🐦 Death to the bird: Elon Musk killed the Twitter bird, and it’s now X. His grand plan is to create an “everything app” like WeChat in China. In this kind of app, you can order dinner, an Uber and find someone to fix your AC. Will he pull it off? You betcha. A $13B debt is a huge motivator.

Nice try: TikTok is entering the battle between Twitter (or should I say X?) and Meta’s Threads with its own text post feature. TikTok feeds can now include text posts with stickers and sound effects. Uh, yeah, TikTok is still a national security risk.

📺 Pioneers who changed the tech world: No, not Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Meet the mastermind behind Solitaire, the genius who created Comic Sans and the legend that gifted us Ctrl + Alt + Delete. This video dives into their ingenious inventions. I feel smarter after watching it!

Got a few spare minutes during your drive? Or maybe you're chilling at home? Sounds like the perfect time to tune in to The Kim Komando Show podcast!

I keep it real, breaking down the latest tech trends, cybersecurity tips and gadget reviews into snack-sized, easy-to-understand episodes.

👉 Download an episode today!

Above, you can see two gray bars between the black lines. They sure look different, but nope — they're the exact same shade. So why does the gray bar surrounded by black look darker than the one between white? 

Glad you asked. You can use this to impress your family and friends with your extreme intellect!

It’s called ‘simultaneous contrast’

A new study explains this kind of optical illusion fools us due to the limitations of our eyes. It's not your brain failing to grasp anything but, rather, the actual “hardware” of your eyeballs.

Our eyes communicate with our brains by changing the rate at which neurons fire — but there’s a limit to how fast that can happen. In the case of an optical illusion like this, your eyes can’t adjust quickly enough to the “change” in color for the brain to understand it’s the same gray.

🪄 Did you hear about the magician who only performed illusions with chocolate? He always had a few Twix up his sleeves.

This is one of those life hacks you’ll probably be annoyed no one told you sooner. You pull into a gas station, and, whoops, the tank is on the other side. Here’s a little trick so you never mess it up again, even in a rental or if you borrow someone else’s car.

• Look at your car's fuel gauge on the dashboard. See the small gas pump symbol? Right next to it is a tiny arrow — it points to the side of your car where the gas tank is. If it points right, the tank is on the car’s right side. If it points left, the tank is on the left side.

💳 Bonus tip: Use your phone’s electronic wallet app at the pump. All you have to do is tap your phone on the reader to pay for gas. So much easier than getting out a card. Plus, no more worries about skimmers at the pump stealing from you.

Losing everything on your devices is heartbreaking. Think about all you would miss.

Don’t leave it to chance! Take the time to back them up the right way. My pick is IDrive. It’s safe, fast and easy. You can back up all your devices — iPhone, Android, Mac, PC — to one account and access your stuff from anywhere.

When you use my name, Kim, at checkout, you get 90% off your first year. What a deal.

No running on the deck!

🍎 The answer: In 1977, Apple logo designer Rob Janoff said the bite is there so the apple wouldn't be mistaken for a cherry or tomato. Now, urban myths say the bite is a nod to the computing term “byte” or a tribute to Alan Turing, the British computer scientist who committed suicide using a cyanide-laced apple. Not true.

There’s a guy in Spain who branded his bull with the Apple logo. Why? To stop it from charging.

🙌 Boost your chance to win amazing prizes by sharing this newsletter with friends using the referral link below. Thank you for letting me in your inbox. It’s an honor I don’t take lightly. — Kim

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