Welcome to a tech wonderland Wednesday, friend! Here’s today’s trivia. Which source provided funding for video game giant Blizzard Entertainment, makers of World of Warcraft? Was it … A.) A loan from a bank manager who loved dragons, B.) Fans pooling their money after playing a demo, C.) A venture capitalist meeting the founders at an arcade or D.) Boxes of video games the founders bought and resold? You'll find the answer at the end.

🙏 Hallelujah! The number of spammy emails and scammy phone calls I get has dropped to almost zero since I signed up for Incogni — the service that takes your name, address, phone number and more out of data broker and people-search sites. Right now, you can save 60% by using my special link. Btw, if you buy, I get no kickbacks or residuals. — Kim

This morning, I realized I’d totally forgotten to buy gifts for three people. Have you ever done that? The good news is you’re not relegated to gift cards just yet. I found a bunch of nice gifts that should arrive before Christmas. Now, if you’re not shopping, you’ll find tech news and tips below this list.

Pro tip: Sometimes, changing the color or size of an item online will show you different delivery dates, and I thought this was strange. Today, I wanted to buy two of one thing (I can’t say what it is because I know they get my newsletter!). The estimated delivery date was after Christmas, so I changed the quantity to one, and it’ll be here tomorrow. Then I ordered another, also to be delivered tomorrow. Sweet!

• Cute little Amazon Echo Pop that’s under $18 to make their house smart
• Hilarious but useful bagel guillotine for the bread lover
• Yum, a 3-pack of organic sauces for steak and everything else — without all the sugar
• A tiny white noise machine for home, travel, or grumpy babies or adults (less than $20!)
• Nice body lotion duo (daytime has SPF 30) without all the gross chemicals
• I have Apple AirTags on everything (my accessory picks are below!)
• Tile trackers for the Android person (31% off)
• Super-cute and snuggly stuffed animals — with enough options for every kid to get a different one
• If they play Xbox, give them three months of Game Pass (just send it digitally!)
• Every reader wants the sweet, new Kindle
• The newest Apple Watch is $70 off right now. Buy it before it’s no longer for sale because of the patent lawsuit!
• A Fitbit for the Android person trying to get in more steps
• It’s a little pricey, but this is the prettiest slow cooker I’ve ever seen
• Nice women’s leather gloves in lots of sizes and colors
• Love these colorful, reusable silly straws
• Every cook needs a reliable kitchen thermometer (38% off, yes!)
• Inexpensive styrofoam airplanes the kiddos will love playing with
• Two delicious food trends combined: Hot honey and chili crisp (other flavors, too!)
• Satin pillowcases that feel fancy and cost less than $10 a set
• I’ve gifted this air fryer, and right now it’s $55 off
• Pretty gold hoop earrings that won’t turn ears green or bust your budget
• The Roomba robot vacuum I have is $300 off! (This one is way cheaper.)
• I think every bedroom needs an air purifier and humidifier for easier breathing
• Whoa, sweet deal on a Ring video doorbell — 45% off
• Neat freaks would love this battery-powered scrub brush
• Everyone deserves a little luxury — gold undereye patches for 40% off
• An electric wine opener is perfect for the new homeowner
• A really nice tea sampler box with 48 bags
• Oh, a man wearing Yellowstone cologne! Right, ladies?

I wish you good luck and speedy deliveries! The other day, I saw a sausage delivery truck crash. It took a turn for the wurst. (I heard that groan!)

I’m with you, friend. Data-broker sites go by lots of names, but they all have the same goal: To make as much money as they can selling your personal information off to marketers. That’s one thing — but scammers can buy up your info, too.

That’s why I use Incogni. It only takes a few minutes to set up, then they go through and remove you from all those sketchy sites. You can do this on your own, but I’ll be honest: It takes a ton of time and data brokers make the process tricky.

Get your data off 180+ data brokers' and people-search sites the easy way with Incogni. They offer a full 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not happy. Can’t beat that.

🔐 Comcast hacked: Info for nearly 36 million Xfinity customers got snagged by hackers. Why? Comcast didn’t bother updating its systems on time. This left customers’ usernames, passwords, Social Security numbers — you name it — all up for grabs. Now, Comcast is saying, “Please reset your password and use two-factor or multi-factor authentication.” A little late, don't ya think?

I read the fine print for you: Use TikTok? In a sneaky update, it's now saying you've got just one year to sue for any harm, or else you "forever waive" your right. It's also herding all disputes to courts in California, making big group lawsuits more difficult.

Google's $700M settlement: Google's settled a lawsuit with all 50 U.S. states over its Play Store practices. Now, app developers can point users elsewhere and offer a sorta-alternative billing system. Some of the settlement money will go to regular Google Play customers. I will let you know when you can get your fair share.

💍 Lost ring, found faith: Bailey Davis' day went from nightmare to fairytale when Coty Warren, a total stranger, found her lost engagement ring in a rest stop bathroom. At first, he thought it was costume jewelry but then spotted her Facebook plea. He returned it, turning down a $1,000 reward because, well, kindness is priceless. Faith in humanity? Restored!

🚨 Phony stamps alert: Scammers are creating bogus websites and selling fake postage stamps online at "discounted" prices. They're impersonating big names like the USPS and tricking folks with 50% off deals (USPS is hiking their prices, btw). If you bite, you'll likely see weird PayPal charges. Best bet? Stick to buying stamps from the post office or legit vendors.

Peloton's not dead yet: Peloton's letting your regular old treadmill join the party — but only if you're on its App+ plan for $24 a month. Got a treadmill with Bluetooth FTMS? Just hop on, select "Connect a Bluetooth Device" in a Tread class, and voila! Metrics galore.

🛫 TSA stopped a vulture because a carrion wasn’t allowed: Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas will begin testing a new TSA self-service system (think automated lanes and 3D scanners). While this sounds efficient, will it make things smoother, or will there be chaos at the gates? Yup, chaos for sure.

Just because you stopped using an app doesn’t mean it isn’t working in the background. Like a bad ex, an app you’ve forgotten about can still access your contacts.

Unlike that ex, revoking third-party app permissions you granted to your Google account is easy. Here’s how:

• Log in at myaccount.google.com. Tap Security.
• Scroll to Your connections to third-party apps & services > See all connections.
• Select the app or service you want to review, then choose See details.
• Click Stop using Sign in with Google and confirm your selection.

👀 This does not delete your account with that app. It may request access to your Google account again the next time you open it, so be on the lookout.

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!"

👉 Get my podcasts today!

Listen up: Adobe has a free tool to test if your mic is set correctly for a podcast or video meeting. Try it here. You’ll get pointers on where to sit relative to your mic and whether there’s too much going on in the background. Nice!

Just in case: iPhones have an epilepsy setting if you or someone in your family needs it. It detects flashing lights that trigger seizures onscreen and dims the video automatically. To enable, go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion and switch on Dim Flashing Lights.

➕ You can count on me: Next time you need to do a simple calculation, type it directly into your browser's address bar and hit Enter. You can do the same with the search bar in Windows or Mac’s Spotlight Search.

Giving an AirTag tracker to your relative who always loses their keys? Or, hmm, maybe you’re that person. I have AirTags in my luggage, cars, bags and basically everything Barry owns.

These accessories make the trackers even better.

• Waterproof mounts: Use these to stick an AirTag on your bike, drone, TV remote, luggage, laptop … whatever you want to keep track of.
• Men’s/women’s pocket wallet: Thinnest AirTag holder out there. Click the box for the $2 coupon.
• Keychain holder: Four colors and 42% cheaper than what I paid!
• Super-strong carabiner: When you want to be sure it won’t fall off! Yep, on sale.
• These hair scrunchies have a secret pocket to hold keys, money and an AirTag. Great to use with the kids!

Santa’s little yelper.

The answer: D.) Boxes of video games the founders bought and resold. They earned about $20,000 this way. Today, the company makes about $8.7 billion annually. Tell the kids in your family this story!

Before you leave me, do your part to keep this newsletter free. Click here to check out our sponsor, Incogni, to save 60%. They got my deets out of 84 people-search and data-broker sites in three minutes. That would’ve taken me weeks, and I know what I’m doing!

Make it a great day, and I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow with the best newsletter in the USA! Oh, rate this issue below and leave a comment if you want. I read every single one! — Kim