It’s a marvelous tech Monday, friend! Let’s jump into a new week with some cybersecurity trivia. What’s the term for a computer virus that replicates itself and uses up a computer’s processing space? Is it … A.) Worm, B.) Trojan, C.) Spyware or D.) Adware? Answer at the end!

🚂 This packed issue is designed to keep you tech-ahead, not derailed and left in the digital dust. All aboard the Komando Tech Train! There’s no need to be a‑freight of the future! — Kim

There are plenty of apps that reward you for doing things you probably already do. I’m sure you’ve seen ads for them. You’re 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.

A quick word to the wise: These freebies aren't totally free. Depending on the reward programs’ rules and privacy policies, you’re handing over a lot of your data just to make a few bucks.

Cash me if you can

You’ll notice a lot of the advertised freebie apps didn’t make my list below. Anything with seriously sketchy privacy policies didn’t pass muster.

Again, I want to stress these apps collect info, so always — always — check the privacy policy and terms and conditions before you download. You might be able to opt out of having your data sold to third parties in the app’s settings or by submitting a request form. Now, on to the list!

• Shopkick: Shop at places like Best Buy and Target to earn points in the form of "kicks." Every 250 kicks equals $1 in gift card value, and you can get extra kicks by scanning barcodes and uploading receipts.
• MISTPLAY: This one has a whole slew of games you can play to earn rewards. Redeem your earnings in the form of gift cards or a payout via PayPal. Expect to make around $15 for 3.5 hours of gameplay.
• InboxDollars: Get cash for completing online surveys. Earn anywhere from $0.10 to $5.00 per survey.
• Microsoft Rewards: Get paid to surf the internet. Microsoft Rewards gives points when you search, shop or play through your Microsoft account. Redeem for gift cards, sweepstakes entries or nonprofit donations. Around 5,000 points equals $5.

This idea is mint

Use an Android? Google Play Rewards gives you points for anything you buy in the Google Play Store, like apps, in-app items, movies, books and subscriptions. Open the Play Store app > tap your profile icon > Play Points > Join.

💰 And, finally, the Google Opinion Rewards program gives you Google Play or PayPal credit for answering surveys. Take a few in your spare time and earn a little extra pocket change. Cha‑ching! Hopefully, I helped you make cents of it all.

Sorry-not-sorry, but you’re probably going to want all these …

• These soft and cozy Hanes sweaters are so cheap (46% off!) and come in great colors, so it’s time to stock up for winter.
• Upgrade your around-the-house scissors with a pair that’s actually sharp (only $9.99 for a 3‑pack).
• Add one or two drops of rosemary oil to your shampoo each wash to make your hair thicker and fuller.
• This is the best no-scent, no-shine lip treatment for when your kisser’s dry.
• This fan-favorite windshield defogger and cleaner is under $6.

Uber-sneaky maneuver: John and Georgia McGinty sustained severe injuries in a 2022 Uber crash, but they can’t sue Uber. Why? Because they forfeited their right under the Seventh Amendment when their 12-year-old daughter ordered a pizza on Uber Eats. New Jersey’s Supreme Court upheld Uber’s arbitration clause, leaving the couple burdened with significant medical debt and no option for a jury trial.

Double trouble: Scammers are creating copycats of major retail sites and hitting you with “card declined” messages when you try to pay. It’s a trick to get you to enter another card number so you pay twice. The sites are spreading in search results, social media ads and email links. Always check the URL closely, and if your card declines, call your bank first.

📴 What a coincidence! New York Mayor Eric Adams, slapped with five federal corruption charges, had to hand over his phone to the FBI. He says he changed the passcode to prevent staff from accidentally (or intentionally) deleting important info, and, oops, he forgot his phone’s new passcode (paywall link). Nice try, but they’re still getting in, buddy.

Poor Swiftie: A Taylor Swift fan had her $3,500 concert tickets swiped right from her Ticketmaster account. Someone hacked in and transferred them out. It’s happening more often, and support says it could take days to resolve — with no guarantees. Ticketmaster's brilliant advice? Create stronger passwords.

Handwriting still matters: Studies show we remember things better by writing them down rather than typing them in on a computer or other device. Why? It activates multiple parts of the brain, like visual and motor pathways, so we process information more deeply. Bonus: Writing down things also boosts your focus and concentration (paywall link).

🎤 AI's got talent: A software architect posted a delightful duet with OpenAI's Advanced Voice Mode (AVM). With it, the man and the chatbot performed The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby.” Usually, AVM won’t sing due to built-in copyright guidelines, but the guy found a loophole — he turned it into a game, strumming four pop chords and asking if the bot recognized the song. After a few rounds, the bot unexpectedly started singing along. The video is amazing.

🧬 First of its kind: A 25-year-old woman with Type 1 diabetes found her body has started producing its own insulin again after a stem cell transplant. The original cells came from her body and were reprogrammed into insulin-producing cells called islets. Now, she no longer needs insulin injections, but researchers are waiting to see if the results last before considering her “cured.”

When a service is free, you're the product. Email providers like Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook aren't really free. You’re constantly paying with your security. From where you are to what you click to who you talk to most, they know it all.

StartMail is the secure alternative email provider I trust. It’s free from invasive tracking and ads, and it’s packed with privacy features, including unlimited disposable email addresses and easy-to-use encrypted communication.

They now offer a business subscription, too, with extra storage, shared email aliases and the flexibility to add unlimited domains. I negotiated a special deal just for you! Right now, StartMail is offering an exclusive 60% off annual subscriptions, including the new business plan. You can’t beat that. I made sure!

🖨️ Printer secret: Most printers have a “draft mode” that uses lots less ink when you don’t need anything fancy. (Some call it “economy mode” or “fast mode.”) To try it, open a document or file, hit Print, then go to Properties or Preferences and look for Draft mode.

Built-in teen trackers: Screen Time for iPhone and Google Family Link for Android let you monitor your teens on social media, set usage limits and block apps you don’t want them using. My advice: Don’t be sneaky about it. They’ll find out you’ve set limits, so you might as well have a convo about it upfront.

Free AI test drive: Nothing has changed our lives quite like AI has — and will. That’s why you need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Take a free test drive of AI and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now.*

👕 For your next family reunion: Surprise everyone with custom T-shirts. It’s easy and inexpensive with iron-on transfer paper. Print it at home, iron on your design, and bam — shirts for the occasion.

Give your PC a boost: Trim down startup programs that take forever to load. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc, then hit the Startup tab to view all the programs that fire up when Windows starts. Right-click and disable any you don’t need right away when your system reboots.

We Camelot last year and love it here!

The answer: A.) Worm. Unlike a traditional virus, a worm can operate independently, replicating itself and consuming memory and processing power. A worm could be to blame if your computer’s very slow or crashes often.

🪱 Speaking of worms … A grade-school teacher placed four earthworms into four separate test tubes, each containing a different liquid: Beer, wine, whiskey or mineral water. The next day, she showed her students the results. The worms in beer, wine and whiskey all were dead, but the worm in mineral water was alive and healthy. The teacher asked her class, “What did we learn from this experiment?” One student raised his hand and said, “Whoever drinks beer, wine and whiskey doesn’t have worms!” (I heard you laugh.)

👋 Be sure to follow me on Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook. I’ll see you right back here tomorrow with the best tech newsletter in the universe. Can you believe it’s the last day of September? Me, neither. — Kim