Hey, Monday! A fresh week and fresh tips comin’ atcha. Glad to have you here with me on the whirlwind tech journey, friend.

⌛ Quick money-saving tip: Shopping for flights, hotels or even tech online? The prices you see can actually go up based on your search history and cookies. Use your browser's Incognito or Private mode (or a VPN) when shopping to prevent this. You’ll get a consistent price that wasn’t inflated because you searched a few times recently for that same item. — Kim

OK, honesty time: I bought the new iPhone 15 Pro Max. I opened up my fancy $1,600 smartphone to realize … it was the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max I was already using.

The big (only?) change I can spot is the charging port on the bottom. After all these years, Apple is ditching its Lightning cable for the one every other tech company uses for charging and data transfer: USB‑C. Some new AirPod models are getting the same treatment.

The switch to a USB‑C port spells a headache for the holidays. If you want to gift someone a new charger, how do you know their iPhone will work with it? What kind of AirPods are the “right” ones now? I’ll help make your list and check it twice.

👉 Psst, Android friends: I know, this tip is for the Apple folks, but I didn’t forget about you. Check out these apps everyone with a Google account should be using.

Don’t be a drain: Buy the right chargers!

While USB‑C may be the sexy, new standard for the iPhone, everyone else has been using it for years, so your charging options abound.

With that said, I recommend sticking with Apple’s chargers or another very reliable brand when buying. This is also good to keep in mind if you plan to upgrade to an iPhone 15 soon. Yep, you’ll need a full charger refresh.

All iPhone 15 models (Plus, Pro, Pro Max, etc.)

• The new iPhone 15 has a USB‑C cable but doesn’t come with a charger. If you’re buying additional iPhone 15 cables, they’ve got to be USB‑C.
• It requires a USB‑C charger with at least 20W for the best results. USB‑C is smaller and rounder than USB‑A, which is blockish.
• Qi-standard wireless chargers will work fine with the iPhone 15, no matter their connections.
• If you see a lightning-bolt icon, that represents Thunderbolt compatibility, a different kind of data standard that works with USB‑C (and isn’t super important in this case).

All iPhone 14 models and earlier

• All older iPhones require Lightning cables, which typically end in a USB connector for a compatible USB‑A or USB‑C charger.
• Lightning cable connectors are smaller and thinner than USB‑C, and they don’t have any icons.
• Lightning cable connectors are easy to spot because they have clear pin markings on the outside of the connector.
• Only Apple makes legitimate Lightning cables and chargers — no other brands.
• Again, Qi-standard wireless chargers work fine for these phones as long as they support wireless charging.

The good news? USB‑C has already come to iPad Pros, MacBooks and other devices, so it should be pretty familiar territory for your gift recipient.

Don’t be that person …

… who waits till Dec. 22 and ends up with lame gifts to put under the tree. I found a few sweet accessories for that Apple person in your life — even if that’s you. Treat yourself!

• This wireless 3‑in‑1 charging station is sweet and works with iPhone 8 models all the way up to the new iPhone 15!
• Upgraded to the iPhone 15? Fast chargers for the whole house.
• Have an iPhone 14 or older? These braided cables are a nice upgrade.

🍎 One more thing! Hit the website for details on AirPods and their new charging specs. Need more picks for your holiday gifting? Drop me a note.

💵 Cash me out: Despite the rise of Apple Pay and phone-based payment tools, cash is still king. The percentage of businesses that offer discounts for customers using cash has nearly doubled since 2016. Other stores have encouraged cash payments by adding fees for card transactions. Since some cities have passed laws requiring businesses to take cash payments, I don’t think the almighty dollar is going anywhere (yet).

Save your work: Imagine you bought a fancy solid-state drive to store your most important files. Suddenly, the drive fails and everything is lost. Many of those who bought SSDs from Western Digital had that exact experience. Their new lawsuit claims the company is selling devices it knows are faulty at a discount to clear its inventory. Talk about sleazy.

Seeing is believing: Have a Google Pixel? The new Magnifier app lets you zoom in on pictures by up to 30x. That, combined with the Pixel’s high-powered camera, translates to amazing detail. Download Magnifier, hit the plus button in the bottom left corner and pick your zoom level. You can also add a filter to make distinguishing between colors in the image easier.

⛔ Ad blocker battle: Folks are reporting YouTube stopped playing videos for them after they watched more than three videos with an ad blocker activated. YouTube owner Google is using these pop-ups to nudge users to YouTube Premium — no ads in return for $13.99 a month.

Don't buy a new iPad now: If you've been thinking about buying an iPad, just wait a little longer. Rumor has it Apple’s dropping new hardware in the basic iPad, the iPad Air and mini — and announcing it later this week. Not much else is expected to change, but you can bet the older models are going on sale.

Sound like a tech pro, even if you're not one. Try my award-winning, daily podcast. Search for my last name with "K" wherever you get your podcasts and "Go Komando!"

Listen to my podcast, Kim Komando Today, here.

Travel safer: Love this idea from a solo traveler: Make a custom Google Map outlining your trip and share it — along with your itinerary and real-time location — with someone back home. Open Google Maps on your computer, then go to Saved > Maps > Create map. Pin each city you’re visiting or each stop on your epic hike.

📴 Mo-o-o-o-o-o-o-m! Your phone’s Do Not Disturb mode is fantastic, but what if you want someone to be able to reach you even if it’s enabled, like your kid? Set them up as an approved contact. It’s easy. I did this with both Ian and Barry.

Beep-beep: With a cheap setup, someone can copy the signal from your keyfob to open your car. You can buy a signal-blocking pouch that can hold your keys, like a shielded RFID-blocking pouch. Free options: Stick your fob in the fridge (all the metal blocks signals) or wrap it in foil. No joke, it works!

🔋 Walk away: Using your phone while it’s charging can rapidly increase its temperature, putting strain on your battery, screen and processor. If your phone is older and gets extra warm while charging, do it a solid and take off the case while it’s plugged in.

Calling all tab hoarders: All those random searches are slowing down your phone. On iPhone: Open Safari, then press the two overlapping squares icon. When the pop-up appears, select Close All Tabs. On Android: If you’re a Chrome user, just say, “Hey, Google, close all tabs.”

Think "hiring" and what site comes to mind? Yup, LinkedIn. Every week, nearly 52 million job seekers visit LinkedIn — and with good reason.

With LinkedIn, you can find the right person for any job, fast and free. Pro tip: Add your posted job and the purple "hiring" frame to your LinkedIn profile photo to spread the word.

Love this: LinkedIn screens questions and has other great tools that automatically weed out resumes that don't fit. Such a timesaver.

❓ Have a question for me? Drop it right here, or leave me a voicemail at 602‑381‑8200 ext. 290.

You don’t have to make Aunt Elaine’s dry, yucky stuffing this year. Trust me, your family will appreciate good food over tradition. The Food Network put together a list of 50 top-rated recipes to make this year’s feast one you can look forward to.

Find a new favorite →

Adobe’s “Project Primrose” is a digital dress that can change patterns. Now, she just needs three new pairs of shoes.

One for the road: What’s the difference between a poorly dressed man on a tricycle and a well-dressed man on a bicycle? At‑tire.

✏️ See you back in your inbox tomorrow! If there’s something you need help with, hit reply and you might see my answer in a future issue. And be sure to rate today’s newsletter. Your input makes this email better! — Kim