A bright and shiny Friday to you, friend! Let’s kick off things with a little tech know-how. Which of the following will totally destroy your Wi-Fi signal strength? Is it … A.) LED lights, B.) Wooden furniture, C.) Mirrors or D.) Ceramic tiles? Answer at the end!

🚂 Thanks for hopping aboard the Komando Tech Train. Whoo-whoo! No AI-curated content or loco motives here — just passing along tremendous, valuable intel you can use to impress your friends and co‑workers. — Kim

Did you hear about the woman who was scammed out of her $15,000 Carnival cruise? A day before the family was supposed to board, Tiffany found the trip she’d spent a year planning had been canceled … and not by her.

Carnival told her the $12,000 room she’d booked had been reserved — and then refunded — under someone else's name. Ouch.

How’d it happen?

Tiffany posted her cruise tickets, including her booking reference number, on Facebook. The very same day, a scammer made a brand-new Carnival account using Tiffany’s confirmation number, and then they canceled the booking and cashed out.

Carnival traced the swindler's IP address to somewhere in British Columbia, but they couldn’t uncover their full identity. No, Tiffany and her fam didn’t make it on the boat.

Summer travel season’s in full swing, and crooks would love to pull one over on you. You’ve worked way too hard this year to let your vacation get ruined by a scumbag. That’s why I’ve pulled together these nine tricky travel traps to avoid:

1. Don't post about your travel plans before you go. It screams, "Rob me!"
2. Watch for fake booking sites and bogus trip insurance. Go directly to a company's official website to make arrangements.
3. Don't tell strangers where you're staying. It's fun to make friends on vacation, but even if someone seems trustworthy, you never know.
4. Don’t take unofficial rides, even if a car looks like a taxi. Reserve your transportation in advance, use a rideshare app or ask the airport info desk where to find the official taxi service.
5. Don’t fall for the “broken” meter. Shady cab drivers will tell you their meter is busted and charge you an insane amount. Check the meter before the ride starts. If your driver tells you it’s broken, ask them to reset it. If they can't, hop out and get another cab.
6. Watch out for money-exchange skimmers. If you need local currency in another country, use an ATM at an official bank, not a tourist area. Use your credit card wherever you can for more protection.
7. Avoid public free Wi‑Fi. Scammers create fake Wi‑Fi hotspots, hacking into whoever jumps on. Always verify the Wi‑Fi name with an employee before you connect. Crooks often use names very similar to the official Wi‑Fi to trick people.
8. Watch your bags — even in the hotel. Scammers will start a scene while you’re checking in while another steals your bags. Always keep an eye on your luggage, and stay calm if someone approaches you.
9. No such thing as a “free” photo. If you're approached by a person in costume or at a famous attraction and they offer to take your photo, it's probably not free. Photo scammers will quickly snap a pic and then force you to pay for it. If someone forcefully jumps into your picture, don't pose and don't snap.

Bonus tip: A friend of mine was in Rome with her daughter. A stranger offered to take their photo. She handed him her $1,500 iPhone, and he ran off with it. Be careful out there!

😂➕ What do travelers like best about Switzerland? Not sure, but the flag’s a big plus.

• Clean the blinds. Use this microfiber tool made for the job and only $7.
• Charge all my stuff. Grab a handy charging station with five USB slots.
• Track my weight for the doc. Smart scales do it for you.
• Get organized. Love this huge pack of different-shaped sticky notes for 55% off!
• Stay hydrated. This 90-serving container of electrolytes is cheaper than the single-serve packets and they taste great.

Web safety alert: Over 100,000 websites, including Hulu, are victims of a security breach. They all use a compromised JavaScript library that could redirect users to scam sites, install malware, and even swipe usernames, passwords and credit card info. Watch out for rogue pop‑ups.

🎮 Next-level rage: A 20-year-old gamer flew from New Jersey to Florida to try to kill another player. He showed up with a hammer after they fought in a game called ArcheAge. He’s been charged with attempted second-degree murder and armed burglary. Remember, someone who really wants to find you generally can because your private info is for sale online.

“Needless Markup” hacked: Hackers stole info from at least 64,472 Neiman Marcus customers and employees, including names, contact details and birth dates. The data is for sale on the dark web for $150,000. I have a tip coming soon about what you should do when you’re part of a breach like this.

No more green texts with your Android buddy: Apple now supports Rich Communication Services — in iOS 18 beta, at least. Once this hits prime time this fall, you can send and receive high-quality photos and videos, know when they’re typing, and get read receipts, no matter the device.

🚕 Uber is giving out $1,000 to 175 folks who take on the five-week “One Less Car” challenge. From July 22 to Aug. 25, it’ll be Uber rides and public transportation only for the lucky few. The challenge is open to residents of Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Miami; San Francisco; Toronto and Vancouver. Enter here.

🦏 Stop smugglers: South African scientists are implanting nontoxic radioactive isotopes into rhino horns. This makes them unsuitable for consumption (they’re used in traditional medicines) and easier to track. This could save other endangered species, too, like elephants and pangolins, if it works. Isn’t that amazing?

Look for this magic mic: NBC is bringing back the iconic voice of 79-year-old Al Michaels for the 2024 Olympics using AI. Peacock subscribers will get personalized Olympic recaps tailored to their interests. If you only like gymnastics and breakdancing, he’ll focus on those highlights.

Cheap crap as far as the eye can see: Amazon is taking aim at cheap Chinese retailers Temu and Shein (paywall). Its new site will sell unbranded fashion wear and household products directly from China with no reroutes through U.S. warehouses. Expect deliveries within nine to 11 days.

AI is only as good as the prompts you give: Here are three quick ways to make yours better. First, give examples of what you want. Second, if you have an intended audience, say so. A note to your uncle and your boss should look quite different. Third, ask for a step-by-step response. It’s helpful for more complex questions, like, “How do I write a business plan?”

Mix it up: Timelapse videos make mundane things like a sunset exciting. On an iPhone or Android, open the Camera app and select Timelapse mode. Tap Record to start recording; tap it again to stop. FYI, 30 minutes of real time is roughly 10 seconds of timelapse footage. Test it with a nice sunset!

♻️ Manage the recycling: It's up to you how long files stick around in your PC’s Recycle Bin before being wiped forever. Click System > Storage > Storage Sense to choose to delete them after one day, 60 days or never.

Keys-y does it: To set the brightness level on the keyboard on your MacBook, click the Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard. You can also have the backlights turn off after a certain time. Perfect if you're watching a movie in the dark.

🔖 Easier than bookmarks: Set all your tabs to open when you start your browser. In Chrome, click the three vertical dots, then Settings. Click On startup > Continue where you left off. Steps for Safari, Firefox and Edge here. Power move!

AI is changing the world at a pace we’ve never seen before in the history of mankind. That’s why you need to take a free test drive to learn how you can save time and money using AI in your business.

The problem: Buying the tech to make it happen is expensive — and who knows if you’re even choosing what you truly need?

The pros at Oracle will bring AI to your company the easy way. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure uses NVIDIA GPUs, so you know you’re getting the gold standard in processing power. Let them worry about updates and maintenance so you can focus on the future.

Winky is SO sweet. He’s just allergic to every food.

The answer: C.) Mirrors. They can kill a Wi‑Fi signal (and not because you’re so incredibly good-looking). The thin coat of metal on the glass of a mirror causes electromagnetic interference.

Here’s one you’ll want to share this weekend: Where did the Wi‑Fi router go? He went data way. (Ba‑tum‑tss!)

🖨️ I’ll be back tomorrow with even more smart tech tips to make your life better. Seriously, I’ve got so many good ones that I bet you’ll want to print ‘em out and stick it on the fridge. Until then, stay your amazing self! — Kim