Hello, friends! It’s your Monday afternoon tech infusion. So glad to have you with us!

⌛ Quick keyboard tip: I’m guessing you really don’t pay attention to those function keys on your keyboard, but they’re super handy. F2 lets you rename a selected file or folder, and F3 allows you to search within an open or active application. Alt + F4 closes your active window, and pressing F5 lets you refresh or reload a page or document window.

Speaking of, if you’re squinting to see the keys on your keyboard, get one with larger letters. I like this one that’s 19% off right now. Sweet!! — Kim

You're cruising along when, suddenly, your computer starts misbehaving. Webpages are lagging, programs are slow to open, and then — uh-oh — you see the blue screen of death or a spinning wheel.

It could be any number of things, but there's a chance your trusty hard drive is giving out. "Kim! My files!" Yes, I know that's what's on your mind. But stay calm. There are ways to make sure your data remains safe and sound.

Before anything goes wrong

Protection begins with prevention, long before those data alarms have a chance to ring.

• Regular backups: Imagine never worrying about losing important pictures, videos, work docs and everything else on your computer. Spoiler: You don't have to stress if you do regular backups. You can back up to an external drive, but cloud backups are easier. Oh, and if you don't want to think about it, you can always set up automated backups. I recommend IDrive.* Use my name and get 90% off the first year.
• Scan and repair disk errors: Your computer has built-in ways to make sure nothing’s going wrong behind the scenes. Disk Utility for Mac and CHKDSK for Windows can scan your system and help repair disk errors.
• Check for updates: Regular system updates bring performance fixes and security enhancements that can save your data. Stop hitting "Remind me later."
• Antivirus and anti-malware software: The days of getting by without software to protect your machine are over. Make it a habit to run routine system scans. My pick is TotalAV.*
• Surge protection: Electrical spikes can wreak havoc on your hardware. Investing in a surge protector or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) shields you from that. Your data will thank you later!

Signs that should make you nervous

The early signs of data loss are often subtle. Be on the lookout for these:

• Unusual sounds: A strange clicking or grinding sound could mean something is amiss, like the read/write heads scraping the hard disk platters. (OK, only the nerds know what that means.) If you have a solid-state drive (SSD), though, you won't hear anything.
• Frequent crashes: Crashing apps or files is a definite red flag. Look out for the notorious blue screen of death and messages that mention disk errors or corruption.
• Sluggish performance: Slow boot times, "not responding" messages and files taking forever to open all can indicate your hard drive has seen better days.
• Missing files: You had an important project on your desktop, and now it's playing hide-and-seek. Files mysteriously disappearing is a dead giveaway. It's time to sound the alarm!

When the worst happens

Sad day … You noticed the warning signs too late, or it's been a long time since your last backup. Whatever the case, your files are nowhere to be found, or your computer won't boot up. Don't despair — there may be a chance to recover your data.

• Turn off your computer: Unless you do this professionally, troubleshooting data loss isn’t worth trying. If your system continues to run, it could harm files that haven't been affected yet.
• Bring in the experts: Contact a local data-recovery expert or a company like DriveSavers. Both have advanced tools and the know-how to get your files back without making the problem worse. A pro really is your best bet for rescuing files and diagnosing the problem.

✅ OK, action plan time: Go back up your files. Seriously, you can avoid many headaches if you do it regularly. The pros use the 3‑2‑1 method and you should, too.

😂 Two FBI agents search an office and find a hard drive with "KGB" on it. One of the agents asks the other, "Why didn't they just write '1 TB' instead?"

📺 Cyber safety alert: Android TV boxes and tablets are shipping with malware installed, leaving your data vulnerable to hackers. These devices are often sold online unbranded or under different names, so double-check you’re buying the real deal.

Too many tabs: Overwhelmed by the sheer number of tabs open in your browser? Google wants to fix it with Chrome's new Organize Tabs feature. It automatically reorganizes tabs for you and can even create groups to keep work emails separate from those new recipes you've been dying to try.

🏃🏻‍♀️ AI on your wrist: Starting early next year, you can ask Fitbit to compare your most recent run to the last — and it'll spit out an analysis of speed, time, sleep quality and other metrics to explain why you were slower today. It's unclear if Fitbit AI will know about the sleeve of Oreos you may or may not have eaten before bed.

Something to cry about: For $400, Miku's high-tech baby monitor lets you watch your kiddo remotely on a smartphone and provides metrics of the temperature and humidity in the room. Here's the bummer: Miku's new ownership is hitting customers with a $9.99 monthly subscription fee. If you have one, sell it now.

🇬🇷 It’s all Greek to me: If you or any friends are lucky enough to have planned a trip to Greece, a new tool reveals what the Mediterranean country’s iconic Acropolis site looked like 2,000 years ago. The aptly named Cosmote Chronos app is yet another example of how augmented reality is changing how we see the world. Check it out. How fun!

In my no-nonsense, straight-talking podcast, I serve up everything tech in digestible, fun-sized pieces. New to the tech scene? Or maybe you're a pro? Doesn't matter. I’ve got you covered.

👉 Get my podcasts today!

🚘 Wrap it up: You’ve seen them on the street — cars wrapped in giant advertisements. Believe it or not, it pays pretty well. You can make $100 to $450 per month. Carvertise is the winner if you do rideshare. Otherwise, try Wrapify.

Fresh start: Clearing the cache on your browser can fix those annoying display or loading issues in a pinch. With your browser open, hit Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows or hold down Shift + click your browser’s Refresh button (the one that looks like this — ⟳ — next to the address bar). All better!

✌️ Peace out: You've been added to a group text and muting it isn't enough. If you have an iPhone, tap the thread, then select the group icon at the top. Scroll and tap Delete and Block this Conversation. Sorry, Android folks — the person who added you has to remove you.

Document cleanup: Want your text to drop down to a new page in MS Word or Google Docs without hitting the Enter key a million times? Hit Ctrl + Enter on Windows or Cmd + Enter on a Mac. Nice!

Safety first: Look at the file extension after downloading a PDF online. You’re looking for .pdf. If the filename ends with .exe, delete it — it’s likely malware.

Bring smiles to all when shopping online with Dell Technologies’ Gift Guide. Whether it’s for the artist, the entrepreneur, the student or the streamer, find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.

Dell's Gift Guide makes gifting easy, with a carefully curated selection of our best tech. Shop now to explore our innovative PCs, like the XPS 13 laptop, powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors, plus this season’s top accessories.

You’re entitled to a free credit check every year, so never get roped into paying for it. Even if you’re not applying for a loan, it’s worth doing to find anything strange. You can spot identity theft sooner than waiting to notice it some other way.

Bye-bye, bad guys →

In 1978, Terry Bradshaw was pitching the Sinclair Microvision pocket TV that cost $395!

📺 What did Master Yoda say when he saw himself on a 4K TV? "HDMI."

I heard you laugh at that one! Hope you’re closing out this email with a smile on your face. If so, hit that thumbs-up below! See you bright and early with the tech news. (Try it out here if you’re not on the list!) — Kim