Hello, Tuesday! So, so glad to hear you loved yesterday’s newsletter. Let’s keep that up, shall we?

⏳ Quick tip: Getting rid of an old printer? Factory reset it to erase the details of what you’ve printed over the years (like, you know, your tax forms). Unplug the printer, then find the Reset button on the back or bottom. While holding Reset, plug it back in. Once the lights stop flashing, all your personal data has been erased. — Kim

Big Tech companies make it their business to collect as much data about you as possible. It goes far beyond where you live, your age, interests and favorite stores. Let’s see just how much data Google knows about you.

Oh, totally forgot I went there

If you have Location History enabled, take a (creepy) trip down memory lane with the Google Maps Timeline. See all the countries, cities and attractions you’ve visited — down to the specific time and route you took to get there.

It’s easiest to check this from your computer:

• Log into your Google account, then open Google Maps.
• Click the hamburger menu in the top-left corner.
• Choose Your Timeline > Your Places > Visited.

If you see a little too much for comfort, you can tell Google to quit remembering all your travels.

• Go to Timeline, click Settings > Pause Location History.

Don’t forget all the pics

Every time you snap a pic, Google records metadata. That includes goodies like the device you used to take that photo and exactly where you were when you took it.

It’s kind of interesting to see all the pictures and videos you took at a certain location (think vacations or sightseeing), but it’s a little too intrusive for some folks.

The easiest way to browse this data is on your phone:

• Open the Google Photos app.
• In the bottom bar, tap Search.
• Under the Places section, tap View All.

Now you can see your photos’ location history. You can even use the map to browse pictures by place.

If you feel like shouting, “UGH, stop it, Google!” do this:

• Open Google Photos.
• In the top right-hand corner, click Settings.
• Select the Sharing tab.
• Tap or click the slider that says Hide photo location data.

✅ There’s one more I can’t fit here: Ad personalization. Check what Google knows (and shut it down, if you choose) here.

Remember, Google gives us all these free products in exchange for collecting and selling our personal data. Yup, they really value our privacy.

Don’t wait — update your Apple products now: Apple dropped updates for your iPhone, Watch, iPad, Mac and TV this week. You don’t get any new features — just a ton of updates to fix bugs and tighten up security.

It’s getting smarter: Every time you start a new chat, ChatGPT forgets everything you told it before. It’s annoying. Here’s the fix for ChatGPT Plus subscribers: OpenAI says you can tell ChatGPT you’re a marketing professional, for example, and want your answers written accordingly. To enable this, go to your account settings and turn on Custom Instructions. See the potential for them to gather even more data? Me, too.

Buh-bye, Mail: The free Windows Mail and Windows Calendar apps are getting the axe in August. Instead, you’ll get free access to Outlook for Windows. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles as the version included with Microsoft 365, though, so don’t get too excited.

Chromebooks die? The news is loaded with the same sad story: School districts that brought Chromebooks during the pandemic are now finding the laptops to be doorstops. Yup, Chromebooks come with an AUE, an Auto Update Expiry (aka death date). Here’s how to find yours.

No-brainer security upgrade: Google’s new “Enhanced Safe Browsing” scans links and attachments sent to your Gmail account against its huge database of scam links updated every 30 minutes. To enable it, go to myaccount.google.com, then click Security > Manage Enhanced Safe Browsing.

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.

📅 Handy site: Time and Date. There are a bunch of different calculators. I like the one that helps you find the exact time between two dates. No more counting on your fingers!

Free photo editor: Confession: I’ve never been patient enough to learn how to use Photoshop. When you need to do a quick crop, edit or resize, try Pixlr X. It works in your browser and runs on almost every operating system.

🌬️ Hot take: Compressed air isn’t worth the money. The cans run out so fast! I like this high-powered blower instead.

Get to steppin’: I try to walk 26 miles a week, and boy, is it hard in this Phoenix heat. I tried the built-in step counter on my iPhone, but I found the Map My Walk app is way more accurate. Try it for iPhone or Android.

🎨 Bookmark this: Need a color scheme for … anything? Coolors to the rescue. On the homepage, click Start the Generator, then hit the space bar to get a new color palette. I know it’s a good rec because even our fabulous designer uses it!

Feeling like technology is leaving you in the dust? It's time to bridge the digital gap with my podcast.

I make the complex world of tech simple and approachable. From explaining the latest gadgets in plain English to offering easy-to-follow cybersecurity advice, I’ve got you covered. My podcast is easy to listen to at home or on the go — perfect for those quiet moments with a cup of coffee or while taking a walk.

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

You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to learn from the greatest professors in the country. Take over 1,700 online courses from Harvard, Yale, Stanford and other Ivy League schools on Coursera. Want to boost your business skills? Take Financial Markets from Yale or Accounting Analytics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Bye-bye, tuition fees →

Yep, you all nailed it. Yesterday’s gadget was a record player, specifically the needle. Speaking of … I brought home a record from Goodwill called “Sounds Wasps Make.” I put it on my record player and thought, “This doesn't sound anything like wasps!” Then it hit me — I was playing the bee side.

🤑 OK, smarty pants, can you guess what’s in the pic above? The first person to REPLY to this email with the correct answer wins a coveted Komando fanny pack valued at $35! (You can still buy one if you don’t win.) Answer in tomorrow’s newsletter!

Thanks for reading, friend. Leave a rating to let us know how we’re doing. Comments are optional, but I read ‘em all, so let me know if you want to see something here. (I promise, your rating counts even without a comment.) Stay tech awesome! — Kim

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