The Current-Sat Plus: Secret Amazon discount, βSorry to botherβ scam, talk to your kids about Roblox β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β In partnership with Incogni | Hello, weekend tech warriors! Today, weβre combining our trivia with a tech tip. Here we go: Three-quarters of βknowledgeβ workers say theyβre using AI tools at work. But what percentage of those workers use it with their companyβs knowledge? Is it β¦ A.) 22%, B.) 32%, C.) 52% or D.) 72%? Answerβs at the end β plus todayβs tech tip. Talk about smart. I used Incogni to wipe my personal info from 212 different data-broker and people-search sites. I get no more spam calls and texts. You need to do this, too! Try it yourself for 60% off with the code KIM60. On to bestowing you with massive tech knowβhow! β Kim π« First-time reader? Sign up here. (Itβs free!) IN THIS ISSUE π€ Automate your routines π€ Secret Amazon discount π₯ Roblox adds ads |
TODAY'S TECH HACK The future just called β¦ Wanna feel like youβre living in 2075? Start automating your phone tasks, friends. Yep, your phone has a shortcut feature youβre probably not taking advantage of. You can trigger multiple actions at once just by asking Siri or Google Assistant! Shortcuts work slightly differently on iPhone compared to Android, but the goal is the same: To automate mundane tasks (and make you feel like youβre in βThe Jetsonsβ). Once you start using them, you wonβt go back. Create a morning routine Kick off your daily tasks without lifting a finger. With shortcuts, you can β¦ Turn off your alarm. Send a good morning message to your partner or kids. Put on your favorite morning playlist. Open your to-do list for the day. β¦ All before that first sip of coffee. You can set the automation to trigger when you turn off your alarm or at a specific time in the morning. Cool, right? How to get started on iPhone: Open the Shortcuts app. (Bet you didnβt even know it was there!) Create a new shortcut: Tap on the Automation tab at the bottom, then tap on the + (plus sign) in the top right to create a new automation. Choose a trigger: Select Create Personal Automation, like time of day, arriving at a location or connecting to a certain WiβFi network. Select your actions: Tap Add Action to start building. You can select from hundreds of preset actions, like sending a message, playing a playlist, setting your alarm or opening a specific app. Customize the details: For example, if you're sending a message, you can specify the recipient and the content. If you're playing music, pick a playlist (like βWake-up tunesβ). Review and save: Choose whether the automation requires confirmation before running, then tap Done. On Android: Open the Google Assistant app > Assistant settings. Under Popular settings, tap Routines > New > Personal. Add a starter: This could be a voice command, a specific time, sunrise or sunset, when you arrive at a location, or even when a smart device turns on or off. Add actions: You could play music, get reminders, read texts or get your traffic report for the commute home. Follow the directions on your screen, then tap Save. Tip: You can also create personal routines in the Google Home app. If youβre making routines on shared devices, youβll need to enable βPersonal results.β Hereβs how. Now, if you wanna get really fancy β¦ You can connect your routines with smart devices in your home, like lights, locks and thermostats. Imagine leaving for a vacation, saying, βHey Siri (or Google), Iβm going on a trip!β and having your virtual assistant turn down your thermostat, turn off all your lights and lock your doors behind you. Seriously, have some fun with these. Some routines are more of a novelty β like making a GIF from your past five photos β but some are super useful. I canβt imagine what theyβll be able to do in 10 more years. β One for the road β¦ The past, present and future all walk into a bar. It was tense. |
Just when you think it can't happen to you ... It does. At least, thatβs what loyal listener and reader Racquel in Minneapolis says. She emailed me after dealing with an angry customer at her job. Racquel did all she could to help and thought that was the end of it. Guess again. The customer called Racquelβs personal phone and left a voicemail threatening to find out where she lives. βCoincidentally enough, I had just signed up for Incogni about a week earlier. They went to work right away,β Racquel says. Incogni immediately removed Racquelβs data from over 50 sites, and at least 50 more requests have been sent. Incogni can protect your privacy, too. Use my link to get 60% off and the peace of mind you deserve. Be smart like Racquel and try Incogni. β |
WEB WATERCOOLER π¨ Careful what you post: Criminals are crawling social media accounts for videos of folks talking. Just 10 seconds is enough for AI tools to rip off your voice to scam loved ones and break into voice-authorized accounts. Come up with a safeword with your family to use if they ever get a distressed-sounding call from βyou.β Earth without βartβ is just βeh:β Apple's new iPad Pro "Crush!" ad is β¦ disturbing. It shows a hydraulic press squashing symbols of human creativity β musical instruments and art supplies. Then, voila β a new, super-thin iPad Pro appears. The message? Tech trumps all. Apple apologized: "We missed the mark β¦ weβre sorry." Ya think? πΊ Bravo! Samsung has a new TV that comes with a free 8K TV, valued at $8,000. The 114-inch βultra-premiumβ set costs $132,630 and uses Micro-LED display tech for enhanced colors, brightness and response times. They're also throwing in a discount on a new pair of speakers and a $2,200 hotel stay. Sorry, but this offer's for Korea only for now. Talk to your kiddos: Roblox is adding paid ads in virtual billboards to its game. Brands like Walmart are already lining up to advertise to nearly 72 million daily players. With 43% of players under 13, theyβre going to make so much money rocking the blocks. βHi, sorry to bother. Do you shop through Amazon?β Itβs a scam email, and it keeps ending up in Content Queen Allieβs inbox. If you respond, some jerk will try to convince you they have Amazon gift cards theyβll trade for cash. Hit βspamβ and move on. Tech on a budget: You donβt have to spend $200 or more for high-quality earbuds. Raycons have studio-quality sound and a whopping 32 hours of battery life, and they fit comfortably in every ear with precise fittings. Grab βem for 20% off (and free shipping!) at BuyRaycon.com/kim.* |
LISTEN UP | Spies want in on your router Is yours at risk? Hackers' new side hustle is charging Chinese and Russian spies and scammers for access to old home routers so they can launch denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Plus, Google blocks a romance writer, the worst airlines for luggage and Microsoft gets hacked. Play Now β’ 35:52 βΆ |
---|
| Subscribe wherever you listen: | |
---|
|
TECH LIFE UPGRADES Restart Chrome: Thatβs the easiest way to update. The latest patch fixes a zero-day flaw. Translation: Hackers know about it, so update your Chrome browser now. Phone screen out of control? Group your apps by category. Here's an option: Set your home screen to include only personal and family apps. Swipe to the next screen for all your work apps. On another screen, add all your entertainment apps. Amazonβs secret 25% discount: Send your old tech to Amazon through its Trade-in Program, and get a gift card for the value. Bonus: Youβll get an extra 20% off if youβre upgrading to a new Amazon device, like an Echo or Kindle. πΌ When you donβt know what to watch: Hit up moviewiser.com. Type in the mood youβre going for, and itβll spit out a list of movies that fit the bill. I searched for βsummer love story,β and winners include βThe Notebookβ and βAbout Time.β Put down your phone: After you finish this newsletter. Researchers found scrolling social media for just 15 minutes less improved subjectsβ health, immunity, sleep, anxiety, depression and loneliness. |
DEALS OF THE DAY Cheap phone-free cameras I love having a really good camera on my phone, but I donβt always want my phone with me. Thatβs why Iβm glad cameras still exist β and theyβre totally back in with the younger crowd. Disposable: Kind of surprised they still make disposable cams but also thrilled they do. I used to love giving Ian one of these when he was a kid and seeing what heβd captured. Maybe Iβll give this one to Barry! Itβs 16% off ($14.29). 35mm: For a reusable option, you canβt beat the price of the Sprite 35βII from Ilford ($23.99). Lightweight and light on the wallet. Donβt forget the film! Digital: The marketing copy on this baby: βShoot decent images with ease.β Love the honesty. A decent digital camera! Nab it now for 20% off ($39). |
WHAT THE TECH? Sneaky-sneaky, but now you know their tricks! |
Komando Referral Program Share this newsletter β Earn prizes! Step 1: Copy your unique referral link: https://join.komando.com/8818309c/ Step 2: Share your link! Post it on social media, send it in a text or paste it into an email to a pal. If they sign up using that link, you get the credit!
|
UNTIL NEXT TIME ... The answer: A.) 22% of people who use AI at work are doing it on the up-and-up. That means 78% are opting to BYOAI β Bring Your Own AI β and not telling their bosses. β
Do yourself a favor: Check out Incogni and save 60% right now. Itβs your personal privacy service, finding your info on creepy people-search and data-broker sites and doing the work for you to get it removed. Itβs a service thatβs def worth the money! See you right back here tomorrow with hidden tricks for all your favorite social media apps. Iβve got some good stuff up my sleeve! Until then, my friend, embrace your new tech intellect, delivered free of charge with the best tech newsletter in the USA! β Kim | |
|
|