Throwback Thursday! Look at me, just an overnight success! For years, I wrote tech news for the LA Times. This piece from 1998 took me all the way back. It’s all about how you can use biometrics to enhance your security. Compaq released a way to use your fingerprint to log on to your PC. Whoa!

⌛ Quick security tip: If you ever send a password to a colleague, family member or friend in a chat or text, delete the message after they’ve copied it. There are more secure ways to share a password, but let’s be honest … everyone shares them this way (even me!). — Kim

When my son, Ian, was 3, I bought him a cellphone. It had three buttons: “Call Mom,” “Call Dad” and “Call Grandma.” He was young, but it helped us feel better he could reach us in case of an emergency.

There may be situations where your child, partner or parent can't make a phone call. Or, worse, they could have someone looking over their shoulder when they text. That's when a secret emoji could save the day.

It's a way to ask for help quickly and you can do this without alerting anyone, unlike if you made a phone call. I've shared this with my family, too, so we’re all on the same page.

Why an emoji?

These little images are often worth a thousand words, especially if they're part of an inside joke with your family and friends.

In an emergency, an emoji is less conspicuous than a word or phrase. If your kiddo can't call you or someone’s watching them text, an emoji can serve as the perfect distress signal.

Which should you pick?

Make sure it's easy to remember — but not one your family usually uses. That's going to cause unnecessary confusion and concern. Don't use commonly used emojis, either, like hearts or smiley faces.

Here are 10 emojis that could be used as a secret signal in case of an emergency:

🐙 Octopus
🦒 Giraffe
🦄 Unicorn
🍄 Mushroom
🌋 Volcano
🦉 Owl
🎠 Carousel horse
🛰️ Satellite
🎏 Carp streamer
🛎️ Bellhop bell

How to have the talk

Don't just mention this in passing. Have a formal sit-down to discuss the plan. Make sure everyone knows your family emoji should only be used in emergencies — no funny business.

Explain which responses anyone should expect from you if they use it. When they send you the emoji, will you follow up with a phone call? If so, what will you say?

🦒 Let’s say your teen texts you the giraffe

He went to a party at a friend's house. Things there are making him uncomfortable. He wants to leave. You can text him back the giraffe, which means you're on your way to get him.

If you don't know where he is, look him up on the Find My app (Apple) or Family Link app (Android). Depending on the situation, you may want to consider contacting the authorities or reaching out to other trusted adults nearby.

What about your parents? They can text you an emoji if a caregiver is less than caring and can't talk around that person. Make it a point to revisit your plan every three months. Set up a family meeting once or twice a year to review so it becomes natural in a real emergency.

If you need more help talking to your kiddos about tech, check out my free kids and parents tech contract.

Now, share this important information with your family. Just use the links below and consider it done!

Amazon’s secret 25% discount: Look at all your old tech sitting around, not in use. Send it to Amazon through its Trade-in Program and get a gift card for the value. While you can trade in many different devices, right now, if you trade in Amazon gear like a Kindle, eero router system or Fire TV Stick, you get 25% off a new qualifying device. Nice!

Grab your PSL: If you’re planning an autumn trip, the updated Fall Foliage Map shows when you can see the leaves change all across the country. A fair bit of the north and eastern U.S. hit their peaks around Oct. 9. Why do leaves change color in fall? Because instead of chlorophyll, they chloro-empty. (Good one, right?!)

For your eyes only: Password-protected folders in Google Photos just got better. You can now access them on iPhone and the web. The privacy feature has been limited to Pixels and other Android phones. What you keep in there is your business, but I recommend a cloud option where you set up a private encryption key.

🏫 Like driving school for social media: Calling all YouTube creators. If you get a warning on your channel for violating a policy, there’s a new option: Take a training class on what you did wrong. The warning will disappear if you don’t break the same rule for 90 days.

Apple Watch is now 22% off: That’s a heck of a deal on the Series 8. It tracks steps, heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep quality and lots more. You can use it for texts, phone calls and music, too. The fall-detection feature is a legitimate lifesaver. Check it out now while it’s on sale.

Got a few spare minutes during your drive? Or maybe you're chilling at home? Sounds like the perfect time to tune in to The Kim Komando Show podcast!

I keep it real, breaking down the latest tech trends, cybersecurity tips and gadget reviews into snack-sized, easy-to-understand episodes.

👉 Download an episode today!

Use less expensive ink: Not every site has a “print” button that strips out all the sidebars and ads. Drop the URL into PrintFriendly.com. Adjust the photo size at the top or click on photos to remove. You’ll get a clean, print-ready PDF. I use this all the time and bet you will, too.

📋 Copy that: Before you share a Google Doc, make a copy. Rename it (by default, it’ll be called “Copy of” and your original file name) and share that. If you don’t, anyone with access to the original doc can review all your edits, changes and versions. Hit File > Make a copy. Reverse this idea to see someone else’s edits and changes.

You ditched TikTok: But now and then, you want to scroll mindlessly. Go to YouTube and click “Shorts.” This is YT’s version of quick, little videos you’ll want to keep watching.

😍 Your eyes will thank you: Eye docs recommend the 20-20-20 rule to keep your peepers happy when you spend a lot of time on the computer. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. No need for perfection. The takeaway: It’s good to look away from your screen regularly and let your eyes focus on something further away.

Save it: Want to open a tab to read later? Hover over a hyperlink and click the wheel of your mouse. This automatically opens that link in a new tab, keeping you on your current screen. Snazzy, eh?

OK, that’s AFTER you’ve read this newsletter. But you’re here so you’re doing that!

🦷🥚🚽 While you’re brushing your teeth, cooking eggs or, uh, using the bathroom, update yourself with my Daily Tech Update podcast. In just 60 seconds, I’ll catch you up on the big tech news story of the day.

Use the link below to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

❓ Have a question for me? Drop it right here, or leave me a voicemail at 602‑381‑8200 ext. 290.

Calling all space nerds! NASA has a massive library of high-quality images. You can see archived photos from years past, including the Mars missions, New Horizons and shots from the International Space Station.

You can download these photos in different sizes to reprint for your house, set as your phone or computer wallpaper — whatever you want. This Hubble shot blows my mind!

Browse NASA’s Image and Video Library here. →

Buzz Aldrin is a man who demands respect. I saw him speak a while ago and he said, “I’m the second guy to walk on the moon. Neil before me.”

🧠 Let’s make more people tech-smart. Use the links under the main stories to share directly, forward this email to a pal or use your custom link below to share. When they sign up, you earn points toward big prizes, like a free laptop! — Kim