A tech-tastic Thursday to you, my friend! Let’s jump in with some trivia. What smartphone manufacturer ships the most models worldwide each year? Is it … A.) Apple, B.) Samsung, C.) Xiaomi or D.) Motorola? Answer’s at the end!

💥 Important reminder: To get around Big Tech and your internet provider’s algorithms that control which emails you see, reply to this email with a “Hello” or “I got it.” This tells the gatekeepers you like me so they won’t block my emails or put me in your junk folder. (The nerve, right?) Every reply makes a difference. Thank you! — Kim

I bet you’re frustrated with how often autocorrect is auto-wrong. Even with new AI features included in many platforms’ latest updates, autocorrect remains annoying. Let’s fix that for iOS and Android.

Go cold turkey

Yes, you can just turn it off — no more bad guesses or awkward corrections. Just type what you mean letter by letter, like in the early days. (Note: Depending on your Android make, model and OS, your steps may differ. There are just too many variations for me to cover all of them.)

• On iOS: Tap Settings > General > Keyboard, then toggle Auto-Correction to Off. Follow the same steps to turn it back on later, if you need it.
• On Android: Go to Settings > System > Languages and input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Text correction. Here, you can turn off Auto-correction and Show suggestion strip, which displays predictive text.

Team Apple: In iOS, misspellings are underlined. To turn that off, head to Settings > General > Keyboard again and turn off Check Spelling.

Team Android: Under your keyboard settings, flip the switches next to “Predictive Text” and “Show Predictions Inline.”

Add your own slang

If you’re feeling ambitious, program your phone to replace a phrase with your shorthand. Think turning “brt” into “be right there” or “1234” into “Four Score and Seven Years Ago.” Pretty slick!

• On iOS: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap the + (plus sign), then add your word or phrase to the Phrase field (i.e., “On my way”). In the Shortcut field, type your slang of choice (i.e., “OMW”).
• On Android: Go to Settings > System > Languages and input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Dictionary > Personal dictionary > English and tap the + (plus sign) in the top right to add a custom word. Put your slang or abbreviation in the Shortcut box to trigger that custom word.

Pro tip: In iOS and Android, if you leave the Shortcut field blank, autocorrect will stop bugging you with alternate spellings.

Those are the big ones, but I’ve got a few extra tips for iOS and Android on my site!

🤭 I used to be a programmer for autocorrect. They fried me for no raisin.

Use the right anti-mosquito soap: The journal iScience reports Dial, Dove and Simple Truth soaps make you a huge mosquito magnet. But Native Coconut & Vanilla Body Wash does the complete opposite. Good news: It’s 20% off today.

Pick the right bug repellent: Picaridin 20% provides up to 12 hours of protection, while DEET 30% only provides up to 10 hours. Picaridin is odorless and non-greasy, unlike the strong smell and sticky feel of DEET. Here’s a great option on sale for $9.95.

🍋 Go au natural: Oil of lemon eucalyptus is a natural mosquito repellent approved by the CDC as an effective ingredient. Here’s a handy two-pack for under $20.

Light a special candle: Citronella scent makes it difficult for mosquitoes to locate a human. Burning citronella candles around the perimeter creates a "scent barrier" to keep away mosquitoes. Check out this Coleman pick that burns for up to 25 hours.

⚡️ Get a bug zapper: The light source in bug zappers, often a UV or LED bulb, draws in insects. This highly rated zapper is 53% off today.

⚠️ TVs hacked: LG patched four huge vulnerabilities that let hackers spy on what you watch and install unwanted apps that can give them access to everything on your network. Yes, that’s bad. Here’s how to update your TV: Go to Settings > All Settings > Support > Software Update > Check for Updates. Btw, you should check for updates on your TV even it isn’t manufactured by LG; if hackers hit LG, others are next in line.

Sleep well: The FBI says China is a hacking threat bigger than all other nations combined. Here’s the really scary part: If every FBI cyber agent and intelligence analyst tackled this issue, they’d be outnumbered 50‑to‑1 by Chinese hackers.

TikTok’s next move: While Congress is deciding whether to ban the Communist China app, here comes TikTok Notes, which are basically Instagram’s photo and text posts. Know your public TikTok photos will also show up on TikTok Notes unless you opt out. Slide left on the toggle next to Show photo posts on TikTok Notes when you see the pop‑up.

How eye-ronic: Emily Olman got a pair of black eyes after just an hour of using Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset. Many people are complaining about neck pain, eye strain and headaches. In other news, while everyday folks are returning the headsets because they don’t do much, p*rn sites are loaded with videos and Apple’s not too happy about that.

eBay for fashionistas: Buying clothes is huge on eBay right now. The iOS app has a new AI-powered “shop the look” feature with a carousel of fashion looks on the homepage to shop. FYI, Android support is coming later this year.

🏷️ Label it, love it: The FCC forced ISPs to slap "nutrition labels" on their broadband plans. The labels show dirty details such as an ISP’s monthly price, sneaky charges, speed, data caps and countless fees. What’s not shown? Special packages that were free when you signed up … but that you’ve since forgotten about and are still paying for. PSA: Check your bills.

📸 Don’t buy photo-editing software now: Starting May 15, Google Photos will open access to everyone for its free AI editing tools, including Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Portrait Light and Magic Editor. Android phones need to be running Android 8 or later to use these features, and iPhones must have iOS 15 or later.

Drop your phone in water? Skip the bag of rice. Instead, turn off your phone and gently dab it dry with a microfiber cloth, then remove any cases and SIM cards. Set it aside and let it dry for at least for 24 hours. Finally, see if it turns on again.

Find my Android: You can find your Google Pixel 8 or 8 Pro even if it’s dead. A new update makes sure your phone holds onto a bit of juice to track it. Just head to your Find My Device portal online to locate it.

Let’s be quick about it: On iPhone, swipe down on your phone’s home screen to open quick settings like Bluetooth, Airplane mode and Do Not Disturb mode. Even better, you can customize what’s there. On iPhone: Settings > Control Center, and on Android, just hit the pencil icon.

💰 Small-biz tip: Getting the right domain is an important part of settling on a name. Check for a site name across different top-level domains (think .com, .net, .biz) and see how much they cost at iwantmyname.com.

📍 Where am I? You can ask your smartphone that — really! This is so handy if you’re on vacation or just lost. You’ll get your address and location on a map, which you can then share. Just say, "Hey, Siri/Google Assistant, where am I?" I used that in Japan a lot!

I trust SimpliSafe to protect my home and studio from break-ins, fires, floods and any unwelcome surprises. With SimpliSafe, you don’t just get alerts on your phone — you get a fortress.

• Exclusive to SimpliSafe: Unusual activity? If their camera spots it, their agents stop it in real time.
• Buy now, pay later: Your security can't wait for your budget.
• Seamless installation: Whether you’re all DIY or prefer a professional touch, installation is easy. Heck, I did it without breaking a nail.
• No-risk assurance: With a 60-day money-back guarantee and free return shipping, your investment in safety is absolutely risk‑free.

Not sure where to start? Take their quick quiz to see the perfect system tailored to your specific needs. Whether you live in a cozy apartment or a sprawling home, or you oversee a business, they’ve got you covered.

I used to play the piano by ear, but now I use my hands.

The answer: B.) Samsung ships out 23% of the world’s smartphones each year, followed by Apple (18%) and Xiaomi (12%). Did you think Apple would be the biggest? Makes sense — Apple has 50% of the U.S. smartphone market, followed by Samsung (24%), Motorola (6%) and Google (4%).

Set up “virtual bouncers”: I’ve set up entry sensors with my SimpliSafe* Security System to monitor access to certain areas, like my gun safe and medicine cabinet. You can get "secret alerts" if those areas are accessed. It’s this type of flexibility that I like in my SimpliSafe Security System. Save 40% and get a free lifetime subscriber warranty now!

🙏 Hey, thanks so much for keeping your tech know-how going, smarty-pants. Know someone who needs to up their tech game? Forward this free newsletter to them. I’ll see you tomorrow! — Kim