It’s Fri-yay, friend! Let’s flash back to 1990 for today’s trivia. That’s when the first internet search engine was released. Was it called … A.) WebCrawler, B.) Archie, C.) AltaVista or D.) Lycos? Make a guess and see if you’re right by checking the answer at the end!

👇 I’ve got a ton of important tech news to share down below, but first I couldn’t resist sharing more early Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sales. The bargains are just too good! There are some great Christmas and holiday gifts. Happy shopping. — Kim

Amazon’s big Prime Big Deal Days sale isn’t for a couple of weeks, but there are already a ton of bargains to be had. By popular request, I’ve included a bunch below.

🛑 FYI: To score these deals, you’ll need a Prime membership. Use this link for a 30-day free trial.

• Amazon’s top-selling video doorbell is only $60 right now. Love knowing who’s at the door without getting up.
• The Google Pixel 8a is a powerful Android phone with a bargain price: $100 off!
• Upgrade to an RFID-blocking wallet to keep your cards safe from electronic theft. This one is under $14, comes in a ton of colors and looks slim in your pocket.
• Toss your keys in an $8 faraday bag. It keeps signals from getting out or in, so no one can clone your keyfob and steal your car.
• It’s fall! Put down the rake and use a cordless leaf blower to tidy up your yard. It’s 46% off — what a steal!
• Banish stinky shoes with this deodorizing spray set. Good for gym bags and anything else that’s getting musty (only $13).
• The brand-new Apple AirPods 4 are only $10 off, sure, but Apple’s latest and greatest don’t go on sale often.
• What a deal for eero’s mesh router: 36% off right now. It’s better for spreading a strong signal around your home than a traditional router.
• Outdoor smart plugs are a game changer for controlling outdoor lights with just a tap on your phone. Get one for under $20.
• This stone bath mat absorbs water without getting slippery, and it’s only $25 right now, down from (a crazy) $200!
• Treat your pup to a spooky snack: All-natural Halloween-themed treats, now around $6.
• Color-changing flameless candles set a Halloween vibe without the fire hazards (60% off).
• Use a magnetic wristband to keep screws and nails handy while you tackle your DIY projects. It’s under $10 and such a good holiday gift (buy a couple!).
• This wallet holds an AirTag so you can never truly lose it. Grab this for $19.56 (30% off). Make sure you get an AirTag to go with it.
• You need this $7 cleaning gel that collects all dust and dirt particles from your car, desk, keyboard — you name it.
• Instead of cramming your summer blankets into a closet, store them the right way in vacuum bags. This 20-pack is under $25.
• Keep your bathroom sink area mess-free with a quick-dry sink caddy. It’s $20 and big enough to hold your toothbrush and a few other things.
• These Halloween window clings add some fun flair to your spooky setup. Get these decorations for just $10 right now!
• My niece was glowing, so I asked for her secret. It’s this snail mucin serum (41% off!). Good to know: No snails were harmed in the making of this stuff.
• This cordless shower scrubber takes the hassle out of bathroom cleaning. The spin brush scrubs for you and saves your back. Now only $25!
• Rustproof caddies keep your shower products organized and look so much nicer than plastic ones. Plus, they’re under $9!

🪿 Speaking of shopping … I was going to Safeway, so I asked my husband, Barry, if he needed anything. He replied, “I'm looking for inner peace and happiness, an answer to my doubts, a sense of fulfillment, and a medium through which I can transcend consciousness and reach true spirituality.” I said, “Be specific. Do you want Absolut or Grey Goose?”

🚨 Scammers are gonna scam: When there’s a Big Tech product release like the iPhone 16, scammers get busy. They used trusted names (think Apple and Microsoft) to get into search results and lure you into opening spam emails. Their tricks hide in pop-up ads, too. Stay safe: A trusted brand will never ask you for personal information out of nowhere.

Give yourself extra time before your next flight: After attacks on Hezbollah, aviation authorities in Lebanon banned travelers from boarding planes or checking luggage with pagers and walkie-talkies. Expect the TSA to increase their screening for explosives (paywall link).

🕶️ Can’t wait for a new wave of glass-holes: Mark Zuckerberg thinks Meta’s Orion smart glasses will replace smartphones for messaging, video chatting and browsing social media. Zuck and his team have been working on the (really) thick black glasses for 10 years. They include a holographic display only the wearer can see. No price or timeline yet.

One of the hardest parts of owning a $100,000 Cybertruck? Keeping it clean. Its stainless-steel exterior attracts fingerprints and smudges like flies to 💩. Tesla says the car wash is a no-no, and the official $130 detailing kit is sold out. Owners are resorting to window cleaner, baby wipes and good ol'-fashioned car shampoo (paywall link).

🖨️ HP is adding AI to printers: The Perfect Output feature cleans up webpages, automatically detecting and removing ads and weird formatting so you only print the text and images you want. It optimizes spreadsheets, too, keeping charts and tables on one page. OK, this is genius.

Be careful where you vent: Friendly reminder that Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, Slack and other work chats aren’t private. IT or your manager can pop in at any time. Edited messages and deleted convos are stored on servers, too, not truly deleted (paywall link).

Mickey needs the money: Disney+ subscriptions are now limited to one household based on using the same internet connection regularly. It’s a way for them to make more money, of course. Add an extra member to your household for $6.99 per month with a basic Disney+ subscription or $9.99 a month for premium plans.

❤️ For the first time ever: An artificial heart was successfully implanted in a patient with end-stage heart failure. Total Artificial Heart supports patients while they wait for a real heart transplant. With heart failure affecting at least 26 million people globally and fewer than 6,000 transplants performed each year, this could be a medical breakthrough. Four more patients will go through trials soon.

Hiring the right talent is key to your business success, but the process can be such a headache. LinkedIn is here to change that.

With millions of active job seekers, LinkedIn offers an unparalleled pool of skilled professionals eager for new opportunities. We've used LinkedIn's tools to build the team behind this newsletter and our other projects.

Why LinkedIn?

• Access to over 900 million professionals worldwide.
• Advanced search tools to help you find the perfect candidate faster.
• Trusted by almost 80% of hiring managers globally to make smart hiring decisions.

📶 Internet connection cutting out? Try a Wi‑Fi extender to cover dead zones. Place it as far from your router as possible where it still picks up a strong signal. Pro tip: Download an app like NetSpot WiFi Analyzer (for Android and iOS) to test your signal quality and fine-tune your setup.

Looking for something to watch? FlixPatrol has a daily top 10 chart of what's trending. If you’re in the mood for something specific, use JustWatch to find exactly where a movie or TV show is streaming. It’s so much easier than opening and searching Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video … You get the idea.

💺 Pick the right office chair: Choose one with adjustable seat height and tilt functions for good posture, aka a happy back. Lumbar support is nice for maintaining the natural curve of your spine. FYI: Pricey "gaming" chairs are often overrated. Get an ergonomic office chair instead; they’re built for long-term comfort.

Facebook ad tip for small-biz owners: Use Engagement Custom Audiences to target people who’ve already interacted with your content (e.g., someone who has liked one of your posts or watched a video). This cuts the cost of getting a qualified lead. Love that! To get started, go to Ads Manager > Audiences > Create a custom audience.

Best password length: A minimum of 16 characters. The longer your password, the harder it is to crack. Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols for added security. I like passphrases, where you squish a few random words together, like iL0veKimKom@ndo. 🥰

No one knows for sure, but 10,000 steps per day might be the suggested standard based on the Japanese character for 10,000. Looks like someone running or walking to me.

The answer: B.) Archie. It was designed to index FTP archives, making it easier to find specific files on the internet. Here’s a live version based on the original. Crazy!

🕯️ I searched eBay for something to light my candles with. It said, "No matches found.” Sorry, I’ll see myself out …

Another issue in the books. Need help with something tech? Drop your questions in my members-only Q&A Forum, and let me and my team of trustworthy tech wizards guide you. Here’s a link for 30 days free, on me. Thanks for all your support, and I’ll be back tomorrow with the best darn tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim