It’s a bright and shiny Saturday, friend! "Manifest" is the Cambridge Dictionary’s 2024 Word of the Year. I’m not talking about the kind you’d find on a ship; this is the new-age, social-media-fueled version. So, what does it mean? To manifest something is to visualize your goals in order to make them a reality. Manifest the end of this newsletter — it’s where I’ll give you the Word of the Year runners‑up.

🤑 Your Social Security number is for sale online. Between data brokers, advertisers, stalkers and scammers, there’s too much personal info of ours free for the taking. I used Incogni to remove it all for me. More below. — Kim

One of the best parts of getting a new phone is how fresh it feels inside and out. The screen is scratch-free, your storage is empty, and the phone is zippy, no matter what. And the battery life? Oh, buddy.

The clock starts ticking the moment you take your new phone out of its box. Let’s give yours that fresh-from-the-factory feel again.

🫧 Start with the outside

When it comes to cleaning off fingerprints and smudges, I’m a screen-wipe gal. I buy this box of 210 over and over. They don’t leave streaks, and they’re good for glasses, too. Now, the tricky bits:

Take off the case: So much grime. Use a toothbrush with soapy water for plastic, rubber or silicone. For leather, gently rub with a damp microfiber cloth and mild soap. Let your case dry fully before you put it back on.

Tackle the ports: Dust, lint and gunk cause issues with charging and sound. Toothpicks are too sharp and cotton swabs leave fuzz. Try the end of a plastic flosser — just be gentle. This $11 kit has brushes and antistatic tools that are safe for all your tech.

Go high-tech: Phone sanitizers use UV‑C light to kill 99.9% of bacteria. Bonus: They also charge your phone while sanitizing it.

🛠️ Now, let’s look inside

Clear your cached data: Too much data stored on your phone slows it wa‑a‑a‑y down.

• iPhone: Go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. For apps, use Settings > General > iPhone Storage to offload or reinstall space-hogging apps.
• Android: In Settings > Storage > Other Apps, tap an app and hit Clear Cache.

Delete apps you never use: They drain resources, even in the background. On Android, uninstall apps under Settings > Apps. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, select an app, and tap Delete App.

Update your software: This one’s a performance and security upgrade that’s easy to skip, but don’t! Check for updates on Android under Settings > Software Update or on iPhone under Settings > General > Software Update. Restart your phone afterward for the best results.

🐌 Device still sluggish? See what’s eating up your storage space and clear what you don’t need.

Battery-saving trick

If your phone is old, you need all the help you can get. Bluetooth, GPS and Wi‑Fi all drain your battery by constantly searching for connections. Turn them off when not in use:

• On iPhone and Android, swipe down from the top of the home screen and hit the icons to toggle off Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi and GPS.

👏 It takes 10 minutes to do all that, and you won’t want to throw your phone out the window. Let’s call that a win!

⏳ Speaking of winning: You have only TWO days left to enter to win an iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence ($999 value), no purchase necessary.

As many as 7.5 million people are cyberstalked every year. Creeps can easily find your info online, then they use it to harass you however they want. I hear from stalking victims all the time, and the person responsible is often tech‑savvy.

If it’s a stranger harassing you online, that’s one thing. But it gets even worse if they find your address and get to you in person. That’s why I use and trust Incogni. They know where to find my information all across the web, then wipe it out for me.

They can do the same for you. It’s easy to set up and use Incogni. I love that all you have to do is create a profile, and then they get to work on your behalf.

Wtach out for typos: Scammers are stealing a boatload through accidental crypto transactions caused by typosquatting. They make copycat URLs close to real sites and wallet addresses. Type it in and your money goes right to a scammer. You’ll never get it back. The shady practice pulls in $500 million a year. Stay safe: Always triple-check to make sure you’re sending money to the right place, crypto or otherwise.

No robo-driver for me: A new study finds self-driving cars are generally safer than human-driven ones with one big exception: They’re over five times more likely to crash at dawn or dusk. But wait, there’s more! They’re nearly twice as likely to have an accident while turning. Let’s not forget videos like this.

🛁 Wash-ful thinking: Coming soon: A machine to wash and dry humans in just 15 minutes. It looks like a jet cockpit that opens from the back. Sensors check your vitals for the perfect temp, and AI analyzes your mood and projects custom scenes for max relaxation. I hope there’s no spin cycle!

“Hacktivism”: That’s when activists hack a company or person. Influencer Andrew Tate’s online coaching biz got hacked, exposing 800,000 current and former members' personal details. For $50 a month, members receive content focused on health, fitness, finances and e-commerce. The leak includes nearly 325,000 member emails, plus chat logs with rants about “the matrix” and the “LGBTQ agenda.” Expect to see this all over your social media.

Meta killed over 2 million accounts this year: Scammers were using them for pig-butchering schemes. The fake profiles lured victims into bogus investment traps. These scams mostly come from Asia, where 300,000 people have been forced to work for criminals. But why did Meta let 2 million scammers make accounts in the first place? Because they can’t “afford” to hire people since they only made $40.59 billion in the last quarter. Silly me.

Is your hearing not as great as it used to be? Stop waiting. Things will just get worse, not better. Check out hear.com right now to see if you qualify for a 45-day free trial.*

🪪 Beyond the airport: Travel verification company Clear is working on facial recognition for everything: Replacing your wallet, driver’s license, passwords and even your house keys with a selfie. They say it’ll help prevent fraud and be more convenient. What happens if hackers steal your face when it’s your universal ID?

Prince Harry and Megan’s Netflix doc: Instead of airing more dirty laundry and alienating everyone in the process, the destined-to-fail series (dropping Dec. 10) is a look at the U.S. Open Polo Championship. This couple keeps screaming about wanting privacy, but they’re doing talk shows, podcasts, books, appearances and, now, a Netflix doc. I bet they’re on “Dancing with the Stars” next year.

🕺 Foolproof gifts that’ll have everyone saying, “You nailed it!”

• Owala water bottles come in 21 freakin’ colors. Perfect for literally everyone on your gift list.
• Everyone can pull off a Carhartt beanie, and they’re cool for the younglings and older folks on your list.
• A good retro watch never goes out of style.
• Laneige lip balm is all the rage right now. (Or should I say all La’rage?) Their scents are the best.
• I don’t think anyone on the planet would see a box of fancy chocolate (under $15) and be sad.

You’re hitting the road and your phone battery is low: Rats. Set the route in your GPS app before you leave, then switch your phone into Airplane mode. You’ll still follow your route thanks to your phone’s built-in GPS, but you’ll save battery life by cutting off data-hungry apps. Smart.

Traveling soon? Track your luggage with your airline’s app. Open the app’s Menu > Track my bags. The naming will vary depending on the airline. Enter your reservation or tag number, and you’ll get updates along its journey. If you’re an Apple fan and have an AirTag, toss that in, too. On an Android? Try Chipolo.

➡️ Lightning fast: In Microsoft Word, use Ctrl + the arrow keys to quickly move through words or paragraphs. Combine with Shift to select text as you go.

So that’s what that does: On Windows, press F11 in most web browsers to quickly toggle your full-screen and regular browsing modes. Hit F2 to rename a selected file or folder and F3 to search within an open or active application. Alt + F4 closes your active window and F5 refreshes a page or document window.

Speed matters: If your website is too slow, customers leave. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to analyze your site’s performance. Enter your URL for a detailed analysis and steps, like compressing too-big image files and optimizing CSS code. Aim for a score of at least 90 for mobile and desktop. ▶️ Then, join the list for my new, free small-biz newsletter and get more great tips like this.

You look GOOD! I’ve taken collagen for years for better nails, skin and hair. It’s great for your joints and recovery, too. Hit this link if you want to try it.*

Do it before your holiday guests arrive. You’ll get some laughs (and eye rolls).

📻 Catch up with my award-winning national radio show: I’m on over 420 stations across the USA! Find your local station and tune in, or get my show’s podcast. I share so much there I just can’t get to in this newsletter.

🥁 And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for … The runners-up to Cambridge’s 2024 Word of the Year! Warning: This list will make you feel old:

• Brat: A bold, nonconformist woman who breaks the mold. This one took off in 2024 thanks to pop star Charli XCX and her viral album, “Brat.” I … think I’m a brat?!
• Demure: Quiet or well‑behaved.
• Ecotarian: Someone who only eats food produced in an eco-conscious way. What’s the word for someone who always lets bagged spinach turn to slime? 🫣

😂 Last night, I tried to read the dictionary in bed but didn't finish it. I got up to P.

It’s time you get your privacy back. Incogni works in the background to get my info off scummy data-broker and people-search sites. Try it yourself with my 60% off link, exclusive for my readers. I get no more spammy calls or texts. Love that. See ya tomorrow with the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim