It’s Wednesday, friend! Today marks the anniversary of the first known malware. Some 35 years ago, CERN sent a major “Computer Virus Warning” to anyone using an IBM-compatible PC. Their recs: Use antivirus, be careful what you click and “cross your fingers.” Really.

💛 Today, we’re so very worried about those in the path of the Category 5 storm, Hurricane Milton, going across central Florida. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. In case you need updates, The Weather Channel has extensive coverage. Please be smart and stay safe. — Kim

There’s a question I find myself asking a lot with tech products and services: “Is it worth it?” I’m not just talking about money, though, yes, I’m hoping my new $1,200 iPhone will be worth it (eesh).

Privacy is a cost, too. With every “free” service you get, you’re handing over something in return.

Take your phone’s browser. It uses cookies — tiny bits of data — to do things like save your passwords and preferences. That comes at the cost of your privacy. If you want to clear ‘em, find your browser and follow the instructions below.

Most folks with an iPhone use Safari

Kick cookies out of Chrome

Use Chrome on an Android? Let’s do this:

On an iPhone:

▶️ Bonus: If you want to clear everything and regain a little speed, make sure the option for Cached Images and Files is checked, then tap Clear Browsing Data and then confirm your choice.

Use Firefox on your phone? Steps here on my site! (I can’t fit ‘em all in this newsletter.)

💦 Hackers targeted the largest water company in the U.S.: American Water, serving 14 million people in 14 states, shut down certain systems and paused operations when they realized hackers were inside. No word yet on what the hackers were doing in there. I’m sure they were thirsty for corporate secrets and how to take them down. This is why I keep gallons of water at home, just in case.

MoneyGram data breach: Over 150 million customers were exposed. We’re talking names, addresses, IDs, bank account numbers, the whole nine yards. How'd they do it? Someone pretended to work there and got in. If you're affected, expect to get a notice offering two years of free identity protection and credit monitoring services.

Google isn’t going to hand your location to the police anymore: Location History (aka Timeline) tracks your every move, and cops were able to pull your data from Google’s servers if you were near a crime scene at the wrong time. Now it’s being stored on-device only, so police will have to come to you directly with a warrant.

⚠️ Don't lose your work: A bug in Microsoft 365 Word (version 2409, build 18025.20104) is deleting local files instead of saving them. The error happens after you edit a doc and then close Word. It's more likely to happen if your file name includes a "#" character or a capitalized extension, like “DOCX” or “RTF.” Temporary fix? Hit Save manually instead of waiting for the prompt.

🏥 When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble: The next time you're at the doctor, AI could be eavesdropping on everything you say and adding it to your health records. Ambient AI transcribes and organizes patient notes in real time. Sure, it cuts down on admin time, but AI can hallucinate facts and might use your sensitive data for training. You can decline it ... for now. Just tell your doc, “No AI for me.”

The “hams” are there when all else fails: After Hurricane Helene knocked out power and cell service across North Carolina, tens of thousands were left without a way to communicate. Amateur radio operators turned their hobby into a lifeline, helping families send messages, request medicine, find out when stores reopened and even share a “happy birthday.” You bet they’re going to be busy dealing with Hurricane Milton.

💖 IRL Tony Stark: A 35-year-old man just became the second person with a titanium heart transplant. With severe heart failure and fluid in his lungs, doctors used a magnet-powered artificial heart as a last resort. The result? Normal circulation, blood flow and blood pressure. The only downside is he says it feels a little "heavier." This is one great way to deal with organ shortage.

❓ Since you asked: I got a ton of questions about StartMail after they were in my newsletter. Yes, it is a truly private email service without the tracking. Yes, you can import your old emails from other services. Yes, you can try it for free. If you decide to buy, yes, you’ll get a 60% discount, but you have to use this link. I get no kickbacks if you sign up, btw.

🔎 Real deal or cheap knockoff? You find a great dress, pair of shoes, wallet or whatever online. Is it a nicely made piece or something you could buy in bulk on Alibaba? One easy way to check: Do a reverse image search. Upload a saved pic here on Google Images and see if you can spot the exact product elsewhere.

Organize your Wi-Fi: VLANs let you separate devices onto different (virtual) networks. It’s good practice to keep all your smart home gear, for instance, on its own network since those devices don’t always get the same security upgrades as your phone and computer. Access your router settings, then look for VLAN or Network Segmentation. Steps here to get to settings if you’re drawing a blank.

“Do I have to charge you again?” Apple Watches have notoriously short battery life, but this can make a big difference. Open Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On. Disable the setting so your screen isn’t hogging your battery life all day long.

👅 On the tip of my tongue: AI can help you find a word that's on the tip of your tongue but you can't quite remember. Just prompt ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or your favorite one with, “Help me with a word I can’t think of.” Btw, that phenomenon is called “lethologica.” The more you know!

FlightAware shows the U.S. Air Force jet “Teal 72” checking out Hurricane Milton. Look how the plane suddenly dropped 4,000 feet as it went through the eye of the storm. Wow, such brave souls!

My cart is loaded. Is yours? Here’s the secret link to all the Prime Big Deal Days sales. My method this year: Find the things I buy most and stock up, then score some Christmas presents on sale. Future me is going to be so happy!

Some of my faves: A gorgeous charging station (who’da thunk?) I bought for Ian and Barry, a Ninja that makes healthy protein ice cream, a six-pack of Hanes T‑shirts for $14, and the Dyson vacuum you’ve always wanted for $200 off!

📺 100,000 subscribers: I’m so close on YouTube! Before you go, click this link right now and help me out. Thanks for being here, thanks for your support, and thanks for letting me in your inbox. — Kim