Welcome to my new-and-improved email newsletter, now called The Current Tech News!

I’m super excited to have you on board. You’ll notice a ton of design improvements based on your feedback, including fewer ads and more content to make your digital life better. I know you’re gonna love it.

I want to know what you think! Shoot me a reply to this email with your thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks for being here! — Kim

The Dark Web keeps things anonymous and you need to download a special browser, Tor, to access it. It’s pretty much the Wild West of the internet. Yeah, you can buy anything from drugs to firearms to hacking tools.

The Dark Web is also a treasure trove of stolen information.

• Nearly 60 million payment card records were posted for sale on the Dark Web last year.
• Average price for a stolen credit card? Just $10. (What a steal!)

If records from your bank or even just a place you shopped at are stolen, your credit card info might very well end up on a list like this. Your full name, email address and phone number are at risk, too.

Long lists of stolen passwords proliferate the Dark Web. You’re especially at risk if you use the same password for multiple accounts — something I’ve warned you against a million times for this very reason.

“All right, Kim,” you’re saying. “I get it. This is scary.”

Good news is there’s something you can do: Head over to haveibeenpwned.com, enter your email address in the search bar and hit the pwned button. The website alerts you of any data breaches your information may have been a part of.

Go further: Get proactive with your online security. Some password managers monitor the Dark Web and alert you if your information is being sold online.

How many times have you realized you’re paying for an app, a streaming service or some other recurring subscription you don’t even use? I hate wasting money, and I know you do, too. That’s why I’m so happy to partner with Rocket Money. It’s a free app that spots all the services you pay for monthly or annually — and can even cancel the ones you’re not using.

No more long hold times with customer service or emailing back and forth. Rocket Money makes canceling subscriptions as easy as a click of a button. For the ones you want to keep, they can even negotiate a lower rate.

I tried it and, no joke, Rocket Money saved me $456.76 a year. Love that!

Glue trap: Crooks are filling ATM slots with glue and then advising folks at the machines to use the tap function on their debit cards. Once they’re gone, the thief withdraws money from their account.

Holy ship: Shipbuilder Austal USA just delivered the US Navy’s largest autonomous ship. The Apalachicola is able to operate for up to 30 days at sea without human intervention. Ahoy, AI.

Pickup AI-rtist: At a loss for words? Keys AI uses artificial intelligence to provide you with conversation prompts to fill in those awkward silences on social media, dating and messaging apps. Keys AI is free on the App Store. Just don’t expect it to be smooth enough to put the moves on a potential date.

Corporate news blues: News aggregators like Apple News pull coverage from the same sources day after day. OptOut News promises to deliver content from independent news outlets that are vetted by a team of editors and fact-checkers.

Your keyboard is gross: Trust me, a vacuum isn't going to get out all the crumbs, dirt and dust stuck between your keys. This keyboard goop works like a charm — and it's on sale. Grab a piece and press it between the keys. Voila, all clean.

Sound like a tech pro, even if you're not one. Try my award-winning, daily podcast. Search for my last name with "K" wherever you get your podcasts and "Go Komando!"

Listen to my podcast, Kim Komando Today, here.

How likely are you to die in the next four years? A new Harvard quiz answers just that, based on a predicted mortality curve. Grim, but hey, knowledge is power.

Why is this news?

Well, this quiz doesn’t focus on the usual risk-factors. Unlike the usual questions about smoking and dietary habits, this quick quiz asks questions about your relationships and living situation:

• How often do you see your children and extended family?
• How often do you do volunteer work?
• How lonely do you feel?
• How well-maintained is your neighborhood?

Haven’t called your cousin or best friend in a while? It might be time to pick up the phone or send a text. Take the 10-question quiz for free online.

Blue light is naturally present in sunlight and is important for regulating our circadian rhythms, which is why you generally get sleepy at the same time each evening. But once the sun sets, too much blue light from your devices tells your brain it’s daytime. That’s why for better sleep, close the laptop and switch off Netflix earlier.

We know — easier said than done. When you still have work on your plate, take a second to adjust your computer screen to be kinder on your eyes. You can even set a daily schedule for your screen to auto-adjust close to bedtime. Sweet dreams!

• On a Mac, switch to Night Shift mode. Go to System Preferences > Displays > Night Shift.
  • Pro tip: Shift to night mode automatically with Schedule > Sunrise to Sunset.
• On a Windows PC, click Start > Settings > System > Display > Night light.

⌨️ Why don’t keyboards sleep? They have two shifts.

The notifications weren’t as annoying, either.

I hope you loved this new version of my email newsletter. Believe me, I was sick of the ads, too. If you learned something new or smiled, do me a solid and forward the Current Tech News to a friend.

Fun fact: I’ve been sending tech newsletters since 1995. Anyone been here since the beginning? I think this is our best format yet. Reply to this email and let me know what you think. Or drop me a line on social. I'm everywhere @kimkomando.

Thanks for your support of all we do! — Kim