It’s Friday and you’re looking fine, my friend! Let’s kick off today with some trivia. Lots of us spend a ton of money on streaming (but not everyone). What percentage of American TV viewers watch ad-supported streaming TV every week? Is it … A.) 10%, B.) 25%, C.) 50% or D.) 75%? Answer’s at the end!

🎉There’s a new link below to listen to my podcast, Kim Komando Today. Be sure not to miss it. And I’m streaming live on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook and probably anywhere else you watch vids! The fun starts at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern). Leave a comment, and I might just read it on the air. Now, let’s get tech-smarter! — Kim

I spend hours and hours and hours online every week looking for the latest in tech for my national radio show, podcasts and, of course, this newsletter. Browsing more efficiently means I can spend more time on fun stuff, like playing with Abby and answering Qs from all of you!

I rounded up eight browser keyboard shortcuts so you can spend less time clicking around. These genuine timesavers work in most popular browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.

3 tricks for tabs

• Closing time: Hit Ctrl + W (Windows) or Cmd + W (macOS) to shut down your currently open browser tab. If you close a tab accidentally, use Ctrl + Shift + T (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + T (macOS) to bring it back.
• Tab cycling: On Windows and macOS, you can use Ctrl (or Cmd) + Tab to scroll through open tabs (yeah, all 200 of them). Hold down Shift with that combination to scroll in the opposite direction.
• Turn over a new tab: Hold Ctrl + T (Windows) or Cmd + T (macOS) to open a new tab and jump straight to it. If you want a brand-new window, press Ctrl + N (Windows) or Cmd + N (macOS).

2 ways to stay in the flow

• Keep scrolling, scrolling, scrolling: Engrossed in something online? Tap the spacebar to scroll down the page and keep reading without looking away. Shift + spacebar will take you back in the other direction.
• Eyes on the prize: Follow an interesting link without losing focus while reading. Hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (macOS) when you click on a link to open it in a new tab while you stay on your current tab. Add the Shift key to open a link in a new tab and go right to it.

2 ways to retrace your steps

• Follow the breadcrumbs: You know those “back” and “forward” buttons in your browser? You can do the same with your keyboard — no clicking required. Hold down Alt (Windows) or Cmd (macOS), then tap the left or right arrow buttons to explore your browsing history in your currently open tab.
• Save your page: Press Ctrl + D (Windows) or Cmd + D (macOS) to bookmark your open webpage so you can get back to it later. Your browser will display a dialog box allowing you to save the bookmark into a folder.

1 way to go undercover

• Keep it hush-hush: If you need a new Incognito or Private mode browsing window, press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + N (macOS). Firefox does this differently; here, use P instead of N.

By the way, Google finally caved and deleted billions of Incognito mode browsing records. It also agreed to block third-party cookies by default when you’re browsing in Incognito mode, so rest a little easier. I talked all about it on my podcast here.

🧑‍🚀 Your carpal tunnel says, “Thank you.” Share this with your tab-happy friends! Along with this: I heard astronauts use their computer keyboards to stay refreshed in orbit … They have a space bar.

When it’s hot, you need a fan. These personal ones are portable, rechargeable and will keep you cool. Oh, and they look pretty awesome, too.

Best handheld fan: The TriPole Mini Handheld Fan is cute, tiny and a steal — 53% off right now ($9.48). Pick your fave of 12 colors (love the blue, but the yellow is great, too) and get a matching lanyard. It charges with a USB‑C cord — easy‑breezy! 

Best handheld-slash-desk fan: Hang, prop, angle or hold this fan from VersionTECH to stay cool, whether you’re WFH or ATB (at the beach). It lasts up to eight hours on the lowest setting and three hours on the highest, charges via a micro‑USB cord, and is 43% off ($15.99).

Best neck fan: I used to think these were dorky, but they’re a lifesaver when you’re working outside in the heat. SWEETFUL’s model is bladeless, lightweight, works for four to nine hours, charges via USB‑C, and is 10% off ($23.39).

⚠️ Stay sharp: Kremlin-backed hackers are ramping up fake news about the upcoming U.S. elections on social media and phony news sites. The goal? To weaken support for Ukraine and cause chaos. It’s not just Russia, by the way — China and Iran are poking around, too. Stick to sources you can trust (ahem, like me!).

Phony Fabios: Think you’re being catfished? You used to be able to out them with a video call. Not anymore. Romance scammers are using video deepfakes to change their appearances in real time. They record themselves on a phone or webcam and use a face-swapping app to pose as another online cutie and charm victims — aka ask for money.

Ask Me(ta) anything: Meta just added its AI chatbot to the search bar on Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. Ask it anything you’d ask a search engine. Google Search is so dead. Access Meta’s chatbot without logging in at meta.ai.

🥗 It started off with a gift: Kids are renting out their spare computer power to AI companies. Not a hard sell, when they’re offering Fortnite skins and Roblox gift cards. Here’s what your kid won’t realize: Their machine is being used to create AI porn, and they’re automatically opted in. Make sure none of the computers in your home are signed up to sites like Salad.

Saw this one coming: Cybercriminals are posing as employees of the password manager app LastPass to hack your passwords. It starts with an email from "support@lastpass" about “unauthorized access.” The fake site they send you to grabs your real master password. With all the security incidents at LastPass within the last couple of years, I’m not surprised. If you use it, give Keeper Security* a try instead.

👀 Grade-runner: K-12 schools are using anti-cheating software like Proctorio to record kids during tests. This includes "desk scans" to catch hidden notes, "face detection" to make sure they're testing alone and "gaze detection" to watch their eye movements. I swear my third-grade nun was using the same tech — Sister Paula saw everything!

Better late than never: A New York man’s Apple Watch saved his life after a bike crash left him with a baseball-sized lump on his face (don’t click that if you’re squeamish!). He made it home, fainted in the shower — and woke up to his watch alerting 911 of his “hard fall.” Bet he wishes it’d kicked in during the first accident …

You can count on me: There’s a new option in Google Docs to display your file’s word count as you type. Hit Tools > Word count > then check the box next to Display word count while typing. Pro tip: Highlight a sentence or paragraph to see how many words are in just that section.

Have old photos to scan? Before you do, wipe off any dust or fingerprints with a soft cloth to get the clearest scan possible. Give your scanner a dusting while you’re at it.

No pen around? Instead of letting your million-dollar idea slip away, record it. Voice Memos (a built-in app on Apple and Android) has your back. Bonus: You can say, “Hey, Siri, take a voice memo” or “OK, Google, take a voice memo.”

Swipe it away: On an Android-based device, you can quickly swipe to the right on the home button to see all your open apps. Want to close one? Just swipe it off the screen. This is worth doing now and then if you never close your apps.

📴 The sound of silence: Maybe you're in a library or a quiet meeting. On your Apple device, activate Siri as you normally would, and immediately swipe down on the volume slider. Like magic, Siri goes mute, offering only text-based responses.

I trust SimpliSafe to protect my home and studio from break-ins, fires, floods and any unwelcome surprises. With SimpliSafe, you don’t just get alerts on your phone — you get a fortress.

• Exclusive to SimpliSafe: Unusual activity? If their camera spots it, their agents stop it in real time.
• Buy now, pay later: Your security can't wait for your budget.
• Seamless installation: Whether you’re all DIY or prefer a professional touch, installation is easy. Heck, I did it without breaking a nail.
• No-risk assurance: With a 60-day money-back guarantee and free return shipping, your investment in safety is absolutely risk‑free.

Not sure where to start? Take their quick quiz to see the perfect system tailored to your specific needs. Whether you live in a cozy apartment or a sprawling home, or you oversee a business, they’ve got you covered.

You don’t become a fin‑fluencer without making a few anemones.

The answer: C.) 50% of Americans with streaming TV watch some ad-supported videos each week. I assumed that percentage would be much higher, to be honest, because of sports! If you have a favorite team, it’s almost impossible to watch while avoiding ad-based streaming.

🙏 Phew, that was a lot of tech know-how you just gained for free. If there's something you want to learn, get better at or understand, I'm here for you. Reply to this email or drop a comment when you rate this issue. Thank you for letting me in your inbox with the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim