Hello to a tech-licious Sunday, friend! Do you remember the sound of a dial-up modem? Ah, the robotic cat screeching, followed by the sound of pebbles in a blender, a high-pitched whine of a fax machine and a UFO holding a conversation. Back then, in the 1990s, how long did it take to download a four-minute song? Was it … A.) 3 minutes, B.) 17 minutes, C.) 36 minutes or D.) 74 minutes? Take a chill pill; the answer’s at the end.

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Look at these two headlines:

• “China's Quantum Computer Scientists Crack Military-Grade Encryption” (Newsweek, Oct. 18, 2024)
• “Debunking Hype: China Hasn't Broken Military Encryption With Quantum” (Forbes, Oct. 16, 2024)

So, who’s right?

To figure that out, let’s talk about quantum computers. Now, before your eyes glaze over and you think, “Come on, Kim, I can barely find the duplicate photos on my phone” (here’s my walkthrough!), you’re going to start hearing a lot more about these futuristic, ultra-powerful machines, and I want you to be in the know.

You see, quantum computers were just used to decipher part of the encryption we all rely on for protecting our banking info, private messages and more. I know it sounds scary — and it kinda is — but I don’t want you to panic because of the misinformation some bloggers and sites are spreading online.

What the heck is a quantum computer, anyway?

Think of your everyday laptop or desktop as a runner who takes one step at a time, even if it’s really, really fast. It’s all about processing those ones and zeros in a sequence — one calculation, then another. Today’s computers can juggle lots of tasks at once, but they’re still doing one thing after another, just at lightning speed.

Quantum computers, on the other hand, are like having a whole marathon of runners all sprinting in different directions at the same time. Instead of ones and zeros, they use quantum bits, aka qubits, which can be a one, a zero or both simultaneously (thanks, weird quantum physics). This allows them to process massive amounts of data at once.

How about another analogy? In a chess game, a regular computer thinks about each move one at a time. A quantum computer can consider all possible moves and multiple games at once. It’s like someone playing 10 chess matches simultaneously and still winning every single one.

Why aren’t we all using these yet?

Quantum computers are huge, complex machines that operate in labs at super-cold temperatures. Even in these ideal settings, keeping those qubits stable is tricky. So, for now, only researchers have access to this kind of tech — not everyday cybercriminals.

‘Should I be worried?’

The latest quantum hack in China broke the encryption of a 50-digit number. The stuff that keeps our bank accounts and private chats secure uses much, much tougher encryption — like 2,048 digits.

The military often uses an advanced encryption standard called AES 256. It’s virtually impenetrable, meaning a supercomputer would be sweating trying to break in.

So, don’t believe the clickbait headlines you see from China. Hey, look at you! Now, when you hear or read anything about quantum computers, pat yourself on the back. You’re tech‑ahead!

This is a list of my newsletter readers' most-loved products. If you didn't pick 'em up, what are you waiting for?

• MiracleWipes (13% off, $12.97) get your electronics squeaky clean without streaks or fuzzies.
• USB data blockers (under $10 for a 4-pack!) let you safely charge your devices while traveling or in public.
• The Pink Stuff is a miracle cleaning paste you can use on just about anything.
• Wall charger, surge protector and extender with five outlets and four USB ports.
• Uniball pens (33% off a 4-pack) that won’t let anyone erase what you wrote on a check, helping to prevent check fraud.

🚨 AI voice scams spreading: An elderly father was duped out of $25,000 after scammers called him using an AI-generated voice of his son. The caller, his “son,” claimed he’d hit a pregnant woman while driving and needed bail money ASAP. The father withdrew the cash, an Uber picked it up, and the con artists disappeared. Reminder: Scammers thrive on fear and urgency, so always verify phone numbers and set up a family safe word for emergencies.

Not the sharpest hacker for sure: Back in January, the SEC's X account was hacked to post fake news about bitcoin, causing its value to spike. Now, a man’s been arrested, and court docs show some pretty incriminating searches. One gem? “What are some signs the FBI is after you?” You’d think a hacker would know how to hide their search history.

Country roads, take me home: Electrosensitivity is a condition where folks think they feel sick from the electromagnetic waves emitted by modern tech. Enter Green Bank, West Virginia, a small town legally protected from radio signals, meaning no cell towers or Wi‑Fi. People are flocking there to ease their symptoms, forming a judgment-free community (paywall link). And no, they’re definitely not fans of Chuck from “Better Call Saul.”

Cute … for now: Meet Proteus, a little bot zipping around Amazon’s Nashville facility. It can load packages up to 880 pounds into trucks. When its battery runs low, Proteus recharges in 8 minutes and then gets back to work. Amazon says they aren’t replacing humans (yet), but these little helpers already have fulfillment costs down 25%.

🏠 Phony landlords: Scammers are flooding Facebook Marketplace with fake rental listings. They use real addresses and legit-looking pics at prices that seem like a steal, and they’ll even let you check it out in person. Major red flag: They’ll demand an application fee upfront via PayPal, Venmo or Zelle.

He’s a real blockhead: In Minecraft, most gamers stick to building houses, but a college kid took it to the next level by building a massive 32-bit computer in-game. He’s just halfway done, at 1,107,419 blocks, but he’s already racking up millions of views. Share this with your favorite Minecraft fan.

🛑 Nothing but blue skies: X recently changed its policies to where if you block someone, they can still see your profile and posts. Competitor BlueSky, meanwhile, added 500,000 new members in just one day. I’m going to start posting on BlueSky and see what happens. Too many people on X are mean.

🛌 Taller people sleep longer in bed: Women are turning to ChatGPT to catch guys lying about their height on dating apps. Upload four pics, and a bot can size someone up based on their surroundings and proportions. In a test of 10 people, ChatGPT came within an inch of assessing their real measurements. Short kings, I've got you: Height-increasing insoles to the rescue.

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A screenshot that scrolls: This is great when you need a record of something that goes off the screen of your phone, like a web article or document. On Android, press the power + volume-down buttons together, then, on the screen, tap Capture more (Pixel) or the down arrows (Galaxy). On an iPhone, hold down on the power + volume-up buttons, tap the thumbnail that pops up, then tap Full Page.

If I could turn back time: Look up your first-ever post on Facebook. Open your profile on the web, click the Filters button above your own posts and then Go to. You can browse back to the month and year you signed up. Delete these posts if they're too cringey, OK?

🥶 Pass me a cold one: Relay hacks and keyless jamming are ways someone can take over your car’s key fob. Paid solution: Buy a signal-blocking case, like this shielded RFID-blocking pouch. Free solution: Put your key fob in the refrigerator or freezer; the multiple layers of metal block the signal.

Take a cue from Carmen Sandiego: Amazon, Nike, Zara and tons of other big retailers have different country-specific versions of their sites. Prices can vary significantly based on where you’re shopping from, and you can still get your items shipped to your house. Btw, you may need a VPN to access a different country’s website without it redirecting to the USA.

🔖 Bookmarks are so 2010: Want all your last-viewed tabs to reopen when you start your browser? In Chrome, click the three vertical dots at the top right, then tap Settings. Click On startup > Continue where you left off. Steps for Safari, Firefox and Edge here.

• Nathan Blecharczyk is the cofounder of Airbnb. He shares how he and his buddies’ idea of renting out rooms for extra cash turned into one of the biggest apps in the world.
• Barry in Durham, North Carolina, says his ex is controlling his smart thermostat after his divorce. It gets hot and cool all on its own. Yikes.
• Lori in Green Bay says her business is constantly bombarded with calls from “Google.” They call day and night, and she thinks it’s driving customers away.

Plus, Ruben wonders if his scanner app is legit, Danielle needs a phone cam upgrade, Lee-Marie cuts out unused subscriptions, Michael gets the facts on WhatsApp and so much more.

Talk to me: I’m trying something new! Record a voice memo with a question about anything digital and send it to me. I’ll play it and answer my favorites on my podcast. Send it to podcasts@komando.com. Thank you!

🎃 Let’s give ‘em something to “pumpkin” about: I’m def going to make these pumpkin bars today.

Snuggle up: With a cozy fall sweater.* Cashmere you can throw in the washer for $50? Yes, please.

Read: All those nonfiction books on your list the easy way. This site summarizes all the important points for you.

Stop: Buying fake olive oil cut with cheap filler. I like this one.

Freeze your credit: If you’ve been putting it off, do it now. It literally takes only 15 to 20 minutes.

🫶🏻 100,000: Help me reach 100,000 subscribers on YouTube by clicking this link right now. Every click matters!

The answer: C.) 36 minutes. It could easily take 30 minutes to download a 4MB song. For my math nerds, a 56k dial-up modem transfers about 56 kilobytes per second (Kbps) for downloads, but that generally dropped closer to 7 Kbps after network overhead — roughly 9 to 10 minutes per megabyte. Today, it takes less than one second to download a tune.

🎵 I always thought museums should play one particular song when you entered the building: “U Can’t Touch This.” Oh, it reminds me of the time M.C. Hammer bought me a drink at a bar. Nope, he didn’t touch this.

Do me a favor and click the link to check out today’s sponsor, which helps me bring this free newsletter to you. Get 45% off NativePath’s Collagen Peptides. I hope you have a wonderful day and I’ll be back tomorrow with the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim