The Current Plus: Deadly airbag scam, Microsoft’s CrowdStrike fix, child sextortion on the deep web | In partnership with LinkedIn | | Hello to a tech-tastic Tuesday, friend. AI is exploding, and it got me thinking about the time IBM’s Watson supercomputer won “Jeopardy!” But it bombed the Final Jeopardy! question in the category “U.S. Cities.” The clue: “Its largest airport is named for a World War II hero; its second largest for a World War II battle.” Do you know the answer? (Bonus points if you remember Watson’s response!) 🫤 I made a mistake and wanted to bring it to your attention. Just a correction in yesterday’s story on Bluetooth trackers: iOS 17.5 and Android 14 will now alert you of unknown trackers. To see unknown trackers on your iPhone, open the Find My app and then tap Items at the bottom of the screen. Tap on a nearby AirTag > Find. You can also tap Play Sound to locate it. — Kim 📫 First-time reader? Sign up here. (It’s free!) IN THIS ISSUE 💳 Outsmart card sharks 🛠️ Microsoft’s CrowdStrike fix 🚘 Is your car a ticking time bomb? |
TODAY'S TOP STORY Scammers and skimmers Your nephew’s birthday is coming up, so you go online and find a $300 Little Tikes playground set on sale for $60. But when the party rolls around, your money’s gone and that gift never showed up. So you head to the grocery store to buy some birthday treats instead … only to get caught by a card skimmer at checkout. Ouch. I’m not making those up; I told you about that “Little Tokes” scam site and grocery store skimmers earlier this year. Outsmarting crooks can be exhausting, but I have two simple tips to help you shop safer online and in person: Virtual cards and digital wallets. A credit card with an ‘off’ switch I’ve written about these recently and got a slew of questions. Let’s start here — If you still aren’t using a virtual card, you should be. Virtual cards use a randomized 16-digit number, a three-digit CVV code and an expiration date you enter for online purchases. They connect to your real accounts, but retailers can’t see your actual card details. That means an extra layer of protection against data breaches, hackers and fraudsters. Plus, you can easily turn off cards for subscriptions without canceling through the merchant (who wants you to keep paying). As for when to use them, if it’s your first time shopping on a website or you’re signing up for an online subscription, virtual cards are your friend. Oh, and I recommend using one any time you buy something from social media. 💳 Some credit cards have virtual options with your account: For Citi, you’ll need to enroll your existing card. Amex requires you to enroll and shop online using a Google Chrome browser. Similarly, with Capital One, you’ll have to add a separate browser extension to use your virtual card. Mastercard and Visa? Your best bet is a separate virtual card service. I reviewed some here on my site. Pocket protectors You might already have a mobile wallet set up on your phone, but I bet you don’t know how they actually work. Fun fact: When you make a purchase with Google or Apple Pay, they use a virtual card number, too. That means it's safer than a physical card against skimmers. Bonus: Apple doesn’t store your card info or bank password on its servers. It’s only stored on your device, and accessing it requires your PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition. Pretty nice! Google encrypts your card info, but it does store your password and card on its servers. Bummer. Tip within a tip: If you haven’t set up Apple Pay or Google Wallet on your device, come on and get with the program! You can find the step-by-step instructions on my site. You’re gonna love not pulling out your wallet to pay for things. TL;DR: Use virtual cards for new online purchases, subscriptions and social media shopping. Use digital wallets for IRL buys. 😳 The last time I shopped in person, I asked to try on a dress in the window display. They told me I had to use the fitting room like everyone else. (Oh, that was bad!) |
DEALS OF THE DAY Squeaky-clean kitchen I like my kitchen like I like my wine: Sparkling. Here are some gadgets to help get the job done: You shouldn’t put your knives in the dishwasher, but getting crusty food off them is a pain. Try this $8.99 cutlery brush instead. This splatter screen (15% off) sits on your frying pan and keeps oil from splashing without trapping heat like a lid. Get a pack of three summer-themed Scrub Daddy sponges for 7% off. Yeah, they’re cute, but they also really work. Wave goodbye to fingerprints on your appliances. These stainless-steel wipes are $12.76 and come with a microfiber cloth, too. Teak cutting boards are durable but gentle on knives. This one has an outer groove that traps juices. Score. The small size is 20% off! |
WEB WATERCOOLER Chatbots aren’t reporters: Don’t get your news from them. When folks asked ChatGPT about the Trump shooting five hours after it happened, it was completely oblivious. Same thing happened up to an hour after Biden dropped out of the race. Stick to trusted outlets — like me and The Current! 🚗 Airbag scam: If your airbags go off, shady garages will replace ‘em with cheap ones (or none at all). You won’t know until it’s too late, and those airbags can injure or kill you. If you have a used car or are thinking about buying one, go to Carfax and plug in the vehicle identification number (VIN). They’ll tell you for free if your car’s airbags have ever gone off. Was your PC hit by the CrowdStrike fiasco? Microsoft just released a recovery tool to help. You’ll need admin privileges and a $7 USB stick to run it (steps here). The tool will walk you through creating a bootable USB drive. FYI: It’ll wipe anything already saved on the USB, so make sure it’s empty first! ⚠️ Should’ve been life: An evil, vile Nevada man was sentenced to 65 years in prison for employing sextortion with over 100 children on social media. After the kids sent him explicit pictures, he shared them around the deep web. Parents, this is your reminder to spot-check your kid’s phone and get them to sign my tech safety contract. 🗺️ “Sofa King: Our prices are Sofa King low!” I’ll never forget when I saw that on a sign in Los Angeles. Own a biz? There’s a better way to get someone’s attention! Google Maps just added a bunch of options to make it simpler to get your business noticed and verified. Just upload a utility bill, a picture of your storefront or insurance documents. Follow the step-by-step instructions here. Paging Dr. Mario: This is something. EndeavorRx is the first FDA-approved prescription video game for ADHD. It challenges kids to multitask and ignore distractions while navigating levels. Some 73% of kids who used it said their attention spans improved. Def worth sharing to (maybe) get the kids off pharmaceuticals. 🍗 This week in deadly social media trends: “Mukbangs,” aka when an influencer livestreams themselves eating an obscene amount of food. A 24-year-old woman just died in front of her fans after eating 22 pounds of food in a 10-hour binge. The autopsy found a deformed stomach full of undigested food. Awful. |
LISTEN UP | | Guy Kawasaki on being remarkable Guy Kawasaki, host of the “Remarkable People” podcast, has a new book, “Think Remarkable,” that you’ve got to check out. Plus, there’s a new AI danger lurking at work, the death of ad-free streaming and why you’re still getting scam calls. Feeling lonely? Everyone’s connected, yet isolation is at record levels. Play Now • 52:14 ▶ |
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TECH LIFE UPGRADE Your iPhone doesn’t come with a manual: But that doesn’t mean a manual doesn’t exist. You can find ‘em here for everything from the OG iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Just pick the model to see the user guide, repair manual or device info. You’re welcome. 📱 Android app fix: Is an app crashing or behaving weirdly? Try clearing its cache. Go to Settings > Apps and select the app you want. Now tap Storage & cache or Storage and tap Clear cache. Don’t hit Clear data — that’ll delete your app settings and login details and reset the app to the default install. Cringe or based? Alexa now features Gen Z slang so you can keep up with the kids. Just say, “Hey, Alexa, talk Gen Z to me” to hear the definition of one of 20 popular Gen Z slang terms. Amazon surveyed over 1,000 Gen Zers to come up with the list. Oh, what I would’ve given to see those responses! 📺 Psst! Most newer TVs have a secret menu: Turn on your TV and press the menu button on your remote. Go to the settings or advanced settings menu. Press the following buttons on your remote in this order: Mute, 1, 8, 2, power. This should bring up the service menu. From here, you can more accurately adjust the white balance, do a factory reset, adjust the color levels or calibrate the screen. |
BY THE NUMBERS $1.25 per issue For a Popular Mechanics magazine in 1978. Old editions like this one were loaded with cigarette promos, limited-run cars like the Jeep Honcho and DIY kits for early home computers like the Sol‑20. I always get a kick out of ‘70s ad copy. They just don’t write them like they used to! 2 pizzas Can feed any team at Amazon. And that’s just how Bezos likes it. In the early days, he enacted the “two-pizza team rule” to keep Amazon efficient. The rule says any team should be small enough to be fed by — you guessed it — two pizzas. Oh, you’re a real pizza work! 2 pounds The weight of a hairball pulled from a woman’s stomach. By the time doctors got to it, the hairball was so big that it could be felt from the outside. She was probably suffering from a hair-eating disorder called trichophagia. If you’re feeling brave, take a peek. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. |
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Beta max: Apple iOS 18 is in beta. Here’s how to try it on your iPhone. I’m using it, and every once in a while, the screen gets wonky. That’s tech-speak for “Close the app and try again.” 🦈 Loan shark bait: Cash-advance apps lend you money with a huge catch — 376% interest rates. Selling your old phone? A phone reset isn’t enough. Take these steps to hand off your phone without handing off your personal stuff, too. |
UNTIL NEXT TIME ... The answer: Chicago! O’Hare was renamed in 1949 to honor aviator Edward "Butch" O'Hare, the U.S. Navy's first Medal of Honor recipient during World War II. IBM’s Watson AI answered, “Toronto.” Facepalm ... It’s not even a U.S. city! Wow, I can’t believe that “Jeopardy!” episode aired 13 years ago. 📕 Story time: My first job out of college was selling copiers and PCs for IBM. After six months, I asked my manager how I could get into corporate sales because they made a lot of money. She said, “Let’s have a drink.” That night at the bar, she explained to me that IBM corporate sales reps had families to support and I did not. They were also men in their mid-30s to 50s, certainly not a blonde woman who’d just turned 20. Yup, IBM, where Idiots Become Managers. I took that as my sign to find a new job, which is why I landed next at AT&T. Join me for more fun on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. See you tomorrow with tips on how to save money buying a car online (and when you shouldn’t), the latest tech news and awesome tips, all here in the best tech newsletter in the world! — Kim |
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