Friday already? This week flew by. I have a lot of tech know-how to share. First, trivia! A website you probably visit often started as a dating site. Was it … A.) Twitter, B.) YouTube, C.) Netflix or D.) LinkedIn? Answer’s at the end, as always!

✅ You and your loved ones will sleep safe and sound knowing you’re protected. If you don’t have a security system (or yours is old), look at SimpliSafe’s smart, easy-to-use security gear. The outdoor cams are awesome. OK, on to the tech news! — Kim

I did this research for you that you won’t find anywhere else. Every tech news website is raving about Google’s brand-spankin’-new version of its AI, Bard, that blows ChatGPT out of the water.

But this is Google we’re talking about — the company that collects and sells all our data. I guess they forgot that not-so-fun fact.

Is Gemini better?

Remember when ChatGPT first came out? I asked it if Kim Komando was my real name, and it said it wasn’t. (It is, by the way.) Here’s what Gemini answered using the same question:

“Yes, Kim Komando's name is her real name. Her grandparents immigrated to the United States from Ukraine. The Komando name can be traced back to a group of marauding Cossack warriors from the late 16th century.”

It didn't stop there. Gemini linked to sources that confirmed every word, and it even popped out a pic of me.

ChatGPT's unlimited knowledge is only for paid users. Now powered by its Gemini AI, Bard is trained on an "infiniset" of data (not just text, but pictures, audio and other files), and it accesses the internet in real time for free. Oh, that’s pretty sweet.

How does Bard protect your privacy?

Bard says it won't track your browsing data or use your information for advertising purposes. But really?

You have to be logged into your Google account to use Bard and you can't access it through an anonymous account. I call BS.

That doesn't sound very … private

Bard lets you delete your prompts but not necessarily your conversations with its AI model. Even if you turn Bard activity off, your conversations are saved in your account for up to 72 hours. Hmm.

According to Google's privacy policy, Bard conversations reviewed or annotated by humans are not deleted when you delete your activity. They're kept separately from your Google account and are retained for up to three years.

Our lips are sealed

Assume everything you put into Bard (and any other AI) will be saved and used for training. That means you should never share:

• Personally identifiable information like your full name, Social Security number or phone number.
• Private medical or mental health information.
• Passwords.
• Financial information, both personal and business-related.
• Business trade secrets or confidential work information.
• Sensitive life information, like relationship issues or lawsuits.

Want to try it? Have fun — just don’t spill your guts.

✅ For a deeper look, get the tech-nerd details here on my site.

I love a good gag gift, but be the person giving something they’ll always use — not stash in a closet once the joke wears off.

• For the person who always has a dead phone, a portable power bank rules. Exceptionally good deal here.
• For the germaphobe (or maybe the person who never cleans), a UV light sanitizer will keep their smartphone germ-free.
• For the one always taking pics, this instant photo printer spits out 2-by-3-inch prints.

Not quite tech but so cool: Chill coffee, tea, beer or whatever in just one minute — no ice needed. No more watered-down drinks!

Cheap clothes showdown: Amazon is going after Shein's fast fashion throne by cutting its seller fees. Apparel under $15? Now, only a 5% fee. Between $15 and $20? The fee’s now 10%. Shein's low prices are giving Bezos & Co. a run for their money. But this is great news for us because lower fees mean cheaper merch. Just don't waste your money on too much junk.

💸 Spot the fraud: AI-powered scams are targeting Social Security benefits. Criminals are creating fake accounts and using eerily realistic AI videos to impersonate officials. What to look for in the vids: Unnatural teeth, hands (count the fingers!) and facial expressions. Trust your gut and always double-check through official government sites.

🤑 Same old Apple: Here comes Apple with a new MacBook Air and iPads early next year. Bigger screens, faster chips, yada-yada. But innovative? Not really. Just the usual with heftier price tags. But if you can wait to buy new Apple gear till January, you’ll save.

Accurate crystal ball: TikTok's "Time Travel" filter gives folks a fast-forward look at aging … and dermatologists say it's spookily spot-on! Wrinkles, dark spots, you name it. Btw, docs recommend sunscreen, less booze and smokes, and using moisturizer to slow the clock.

🚫 23andMe's shady update: After a data leak affecting 6.9 million folks, 23andMe's new terms are raising eyebrows. They now allow just 30 days for users to opt out of arbitration (aka no joining class-action lawsuits), and they've removed the option to sue in the case of serious harm. Handy for them post-hack, eh? Seems like playing fair isn't in their DNA.

The inside-out: Celero Systems is cooking up a high-tech pill about the size of a penicillin capsule that tracks your vitals — heart rate, breathing, even core temp. Studies are showing it’s pretty accurate. Amazing, right? Oh, don’t ever take a sleeping pill with a laxative unless you want to sleep like a baby.

🎄 What happened to handwritten letters to Santa? Kids like 11-year-old Ben are using PowerPoint and Canva to request Air Jordans and Xbox games, complete with photos and links to buy the goods. It’s not just a few kids; over 3 million have used Canva’s wishlist templates. I totally would’ve done this as a kiddo.

Mystery solved: The HP Smart app was mysteriously appearing on PCs … for people who didn’t own an HP printer. Turns out a Windows bug renamed all printers to HP LaserJet and triggered the download. Update coming soon to fix it. Congrats, HP, on the free marketing!

Feeling the holiday party pressure? Chillax, I’ve got your music woes covered. Collaborative playlist, to the rescue! Think of it like a potluck but with tunes. Get everyone to add their favorite tracks, and voila — a playlist with something for everyone. Here's how.

For Spotify:

• Fire up Spotify on your phone or desktop.
• Go to Your Library and pick an existing playlist or create a new one.
• Choose your Playlist and tap the icon with a person and a plus sign. Send the link to your pals.
• On mobile, use the sharing option; on desktop, copy the link from your clipboard.

For Apple Music:

If you're a beta user like me, you can use this now. Make sure your device is updated to iOS 17.2 or later. (Here’s how to try it.) Otherwise, be patient and it’ll be on your device soon.

• In Apple Music, open your chosen playlist and look for the new icon with two people.
• Hit Invite Friends to Join and send out those invites.
• Control who adds what with Approve Collaborators.
• When you’re ready, tap Start Collaboration.

🥾 I made a playlist for hiking. It has music from “Peanuts,” the Cranberries and Eminem. I call it my trail mix.

I turn tech complexity into simplicity with my Daily Tech Update podcast. I’ll give you the top tech news and a useful digital life hack, all in under two minutes. It's the perfect match for your daily routine — no tech expertise required.

👉 Get my podcasts today!

⌨️ Quick Windows tip: Easily open a program pinned to your taskbar by pressing the Windows key + the number key that corresponds to its position. Say the program is the first icon on the taskbar — press the Windows key + 1. Nice!

You’ve arrived: OK, this is sweet. Android Auto has a new trick — saving your parking location when you reach your destination. When you arrive, you’ll see a toggle asking if Google Maps should save your location. Tap it to enable. Apple, I want this for CarPlay!

Quick Mac tip: Take a screenshot of a selected area of your screen by pressing Cmd + Shift + 4. Your cursor will change to a crosshair, letting you click and drag to select the area you want to capture. The screenshot will be saved to your desktop when you release the mouse. Sweetness!

Numbers rule everything around me: Don’t run your business on gut feelings alone. I sure don’t. NetSuite by Oracle* makes it easy to see all the data about your biz in one place.

🖼️ No more email: Need to transfer photos, vids and docs from your Android device to a Windows PC? Forget email. Use the new, free Nearby Share. Works great!

I love a deal, and I know you do, too. Maybe you only have a cheap Amazon cam that watches your porch. Or maybe you’re relying on an outdated security system. Stop that!

SimpliSafe is the best of the best. It’s total protection for your whole home, including advanced sensors to detect break-ins, fires, floods and more — all with 24/7 professional monitoring for less than $1 a day.

You won’t get roped into an expensive contract (they don’t have them!), and you can order it all online and install it yourself. It’s easy, and you’ll be so glad you did.

I wonder whose duty it is to order the thrones.

The answer: YouTube! Co-founder Chad Hurley registered the domain on Valentine’s Day in 2005 with the tagline, “Tune in, hook up.” The idea was that users would upload videos detailing what they wanted in a partner. The problem? No one wanted to put up a video.

Speaking of … One day, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter will merge. It will be called YouTwitFace.

🤗 Thanks for being here. Be sure to drop your suggestions when you rate this newsletter if there’s something you want to see. Let’s do this again, eh? Tomorrow? OK, see you then with the best newsletter in the USA! — Kim