Hooray, it’s National Radio Day, friend! Here’s a little trivia to get us started. Who makes the most money per year in radio? Is it … A.) Ryan Seacrest, B.) Glenn Beck, C.) Sean Hannity or D.) Howard Stern? You’ll find the answer at the end.

🎙️ Missed my show this past weekend? I’m not mad; I’m just disappointed. (Can you tell I’m a mom, too?) The good news is you can listen to it when and where you want. Here’s a one-click link to my show on the most popular podcast players. Now, let’s jump in to keep you and your loved ones tech-smart and safe. — Kim

Are you a criminal, hacker, spy or scammer? Step right up! You can have your own app for anyone to download in the app store, and it won’t cost you a dime. Here’s a dirty secret: Apple tries to vet most apps. Google doesn’t even try to do that, but there is a setting that helps. More about that below.

I've rounded up some of the worst apps out there, along with tips to keep your data safe (and your wallet happy). This way, you won’t get taken.

Cheap thrills

Ultra-cheap shopping apps might have good deals, but you’ll pay for them somehow.

Shein (an app with ties to Communist China) is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of "fast fashion," aka really cheap clothes made with downright toxic materials.

• South Korean researchers tested two pairs of kids’ shoes. One pair had 428 times the permitted level of phthalates (used in plastics). The other had 1.8 times the permitted level of formaldehyde, which causes cancer at high enough concentrations.
• When they tested a “leather” belt, they found it contained 1.78 times more lead than legally allowed.

Temu (another app with ties to Communist China) doesn't manufacture goods; it just sells them for cheap. In 2023, it was the most downloaded app in the U.S., with over 122 million downloads.

In June, the Arkansas attorney general filed a lawsuit against Temu, alleging the app is malware in sheep's clothing. The suit claims Temu “gains unauthorized access to users' personal data, including camera access, location, contacts, text messages and more.”

I know so many of you love TikTok (another app with ties to Communist China.) Let’s cut to the chase: It gets copies of every single thing you do on your phone. Here’s how to remove these commie apps from your phone.

Major malfunction

Sorry, Android pals, but there's new spyware lurking in the Google Play Store. Mandrake spyware had been running undetected for up to two years in certain apps, collecting data, recording and monitoring screens, and installing other malicious apps.

Google has finally removed the Mandrake-infected apps from its Play Store so no one else can download them. Be sure to check your smartphone or tablet, and if you have one of these apps, delete it ASAP:

• AirFS
• Astro Explorer
• Amber
• CryptoPulsing
• Brain Matrix

Now is as good a time as any to make sure you have Google Play Protect enabled. It scans your new and existing apps for anything fishy.

• Open the Google Play Store app. At the top right, tap your profile icon.
• Tap Play Protect > Settings and turn on Scan apps with Play Protect.

Use it or lose it

While you're deleting apps that are bad for your privacy and security, why not kick out anything you pay for and don’t need? Remember, just uninstalling an app doesn't mean your subscription is canceled.

Here's how to find and cancel app subscriptions on your iPhone. Go to Settings and tap your name > Subscriptions. On Android, go to play.google.com and click My subscriptions. Spoiler: This only finds app subscriptions.

⚡ ️Check how much you’re really shelling out. Everywhere you turn, it’s a buck or more a month here and there. Check your subscriptions to stop unnecessary payments and cancel those you no longer want the easy way with Rocket Money.* Rocket Money has an average rating of 4.5 stars (22,000 ratings!) on the iOS and Google Play stores. I use it, and you would like it, too.

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.

🚨 How Charmin! Major TP‑Link warning: U.S. lawmakers want to investigate TP‑Link over fears China could use these routers to spy on Americans and the U.S. military. TP‑Link is a hugely popular brand, but with routers made in China and a history of security issues, the concerns are real. Feeling uneasy? Here are a few steps to secure your router.

Warn your older adults: An 83-year-old woman was conned out of $1.4 million by scammers posing as JPMorgan’s fraud department and U.S. agents. They said she needed to help catch a rogue employee, but she was the real target. It took 279 days after her first big withdrawal for anyone to notify her son about the suspicious activity (paywall link). Don’t count on banks to step in and help you not get taken.

🏠 Phony landlords: Scammers are flooding Facebook Marketplace with fake rental listings. They use real addresses and legit-looking pics at prices that seem like a steal, and they’ll even let you check it out in person. Major red flag: They’ll demand an application fee upfront via PayPal, Venmo or Zelle.

Big, bad reminder to keep your Mac updated: Security flaws in Microsoft apps like Word can let hackers in based on your existing app permissions — no extra verification needed. Stay safe: Keep your computer on the latest version of macOS and only download apps from the official Apple App Store.

Soap-erstar: Jessica Serfaty of “Days of Our Lives” fame discovered a hidden tracker in her Range Rover. Her iPhone tipped her off about an Apple AirTag nearby that was news to her. She called the cops because, you know, stalker vibes, but they couldn’t find it. Here’s help if you get an alert like this.

Stop mining my business: An Airbnb host got a nasty shock when guests used her house to mine $100,000 in crypto, sticking her with a $1,500 electricity bill. External security cameras caught them hauling out 10 computers and charging their EV. She got them to pay up, but now she’s got a strict “no crypto mining” rule. It’s a new world.

Need a good story? I sat down with Noland Arbaugh, the first Neuralink brain chip implant patient. This brave guy shared the risks, including the possibility of the device being hacked, the application process and his hopes for the future. Check out the full exclusive interview on The Daily Mail. Give it a share and comment for me so my editor there asks me for more fabulous interviews like this one!

Here’s a short list of goodies to make your tech more usable. They’re all winners!

• An essential automatic page-turner (18% off): Instead of getting out of your comfortable position to swipe to the next page on your phone or Kindle, use this remote-controlled page-turner. So smart!
• A wireless charging pad (53% off!): Mophie’s 4-in-1 mat wirelessly charges four devices and includes another USB‑A port for a fifth charging option. All your gear is powered up!
• Ingenious phone screen magnifier: Instantly transform your phone into a 16-inch screen that’s great for watching videos, reading, playing games and more. Barry loves his!
• Awesome tablet pillow: Whether you’re camped out in your favorite chair or relaxed in bed, this pillow lets you watch, play and type without fumbling. It’s good for hands-free video calls, too.
• The best digital photo frame: Friends and family can send photos and videos right to it with no monthly fees. I love the nice, big screen. Makes a great gift!

Turn your vinyl into digital: It’s a nice way to preserve your vintage music collection. You’ll need a USB turntable. It’s not super cheap, but neither were all those records … For the record, a person born in ‘33 was 45 in ‘78.

If you give a mouse a click: It’ll do some handy things. Hover over a link, then click the middle button on your mouse to open it in a new tab. Middle-click an app in your PC’s toolbar to open it in a new window (even if the app is already open). Pro tip: Let’s say you want to refresh a page but you don’t want to lose the current version. Middle-click your browser's refresh button to open a fresh copy.

Length matters: On Facebook, you can go up to 63,000 characters (don't, though — that’s too long!). Mobile cuts you off at 150. On X, you have up to 280 characters; 70 to 100 tend to perform best. As for Instagram, it’s 2,200 characters max, but only the first 125 are seen. With LinkedIn, go long if you must, but the first 25 words matter most.

Pass me a cold one: Relay hacks and keyless jamming are ways someone can take over your car’s key fob. Paid solution: Buy a signal-blocking case, like this shielded RFID-blocking pouch. Free solution: Store your key fob in the refrigerator or freezer; the multiple layers of metal block the signal.

Have you ever bought anything that I’ve recommended on my show or in my newsletter? Yeah, I asked this last week, but I should’ve included my show, too. Every answer counts. Thank you!

• 👍 Yes
• 👎 No

Titanic! Sorry, that was a terrible icebreaker.

The answer: D.) Howard Stern, with an estimated salary of $90 million annually. I’ll never forget when he called me a “slut” on his show years ago. Why? I said the two competing satellite services, Sirius and XM, shouldn’t be allowed to merge.

Howie would’ve lost a ton of money if that happened. Let me tell you, his fans were nasty to me afterward, leaving me comments like, “I wish you a slow death from cancer.” I published them all on my website, along with the senders’ names and email addresses. That crap stopped right then. Nope, Stern never apologized.

🏴‍☠️ Reminds me … Why do Norwegian warships have a barcode on their stern? So they can Scandinavian. I’ll see you tomorrow with the best tech newsletter in the USA, designed to keep you tech-ahead, always! — Kim