The Current
+ Pentagon pizza, car scam alert, Minecraft movie streaming and more tech smarts -

June 18, 2025

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In partnership with Incogni

Hey there, it’s a wonderful Wednesday, friend. Or as tab-hoarders call it: “Halfway to never closing anything ever.” You know who you are. If you’ve got seven tabs playing audio, 14 articles you’re “definitely going to read later” and a Google Doc from 2021 still spinning, today’s trivia is for you. 

Question: What’s the maximum number of tabs you can have open in Google Chrome before it just shows a smiley face instead of a number: A) 50, B) 100, C) 200 or D) There’s no limit? Find the answer at the end! 

0️⃣ Zero, zilch, nada: My privacy secret weapon eliminated spam calls and texts on my phone. Silence feels so good. I negotiated a 60% discount just for you. More below! — Kim

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TODAY'S DEEP DIVE

💻 The flight price spiral

Image: ChatGPT

I got a great question from Danielle in Austin: “Kim, every time I search for a flight and go back later, the price has gone up. Are airlines tracking me? If I clear my browser history or use incognito mode, will I get a cheaper deal?”

You’ve probably wondered the same thing. And there’s no shortage of online advice telling you to delete cookies, browse privately or even switch devices to avoid so-called price hikes.

So what’s the truth? Let’s break it down.

🧐 Is it a scam?

Airlines and booking sites aren’t raising prices just because you searched for a ticket. Prices change constantly based on demand, seat availability, time of day and, yes, your luck.

So if you search for a flight in the morning, then again at night, and the price has jumped, that’s not because of your cookies. It’s because someone else booked, or the algorithm adjusted based on how seats are selling. 

Dynamic pricing is real, but it’s not personal. Now, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect your privacy. 

I still recommend using incognito mode or clearing cookies. It gives you a cleaner browsing experience without ads following you across the internet. Plus, it prevents “session fatigue” where your browser remembers your old searches and doesn’t refresh options.

💸 Find the lowest airfare

  1. Use flight comparison tools like Google Flights, Kayak and Skyscanner.
  2. Set alerts for routes you want. Prices often drop midweek.
  3. Search one-way tickets separately. Sometimes it’s cheaper than booking round-trip.
  4. Fly midweek, early morning or late at night.
  5. Don’t obsessively search for the same flight. You’re not being tracked. Prices change fast, and rechecking every 10 minutes will just stress you out.
  6. Use a VPN and you may get a lower price. See below.

🔮 Sorcery actually worked

A friend was renting a car in the U.K. Total? $900. I told her to turn on her VPN and pretend she was already in London like the cheeky traveler she is. 

She refreshed, same site, same dates, and boom: $298. Now she has enough savings to buy two pints at Heathrow!

Just one more reason I always say: Never shop for travel online without using a VPN. ExpressVPN is a sponsor of my show, so you get four months free using my link.

Finally, don’t take it personally when your bargain flight you forgot to book is now extortion-level pricing. It happens to us all.

Nerd joke time: A photon walks up to an airline counter to buy a ticket, and the clerk asks, “Any baggage to check?” The photon replies, “No, I’m traveling light.”

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH  

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Your personal info is exposed

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Daily Tech Update

AI killed the website

AI is quietly ending traditional online searches, killing websites, blogs and countless jobs.

Listen on Komando.com →

WEB WATERCOOLER

🍕 When the Pentagon eats pizza: An X account tracked pizza shop orders near the Pentagon, and predicted Israel’s strike on Iran hours before it happened. Pizza spiked, then dropped. The bar went quiet. Suddenly missiles. It’s not the first time folks have linked local takeout to military action. 

Car scam alert: A Nebraska man with terminal cancer tried to buy a $12K 1955 Chevy for one last summertime cruise. Instead, he wired money to a fake escrow site. Now the website, the cash and his dream are long gone. BBB says the site was a mirage. I hope these scammers rot in hell.

😨 Data brokers turn deadly: This is horrifying. The man accused of assassinating Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband allegedly used people search sites (paywall link) to stalk them. If criminals can track politicians, they can track you. That’s why you need Incogni to get your info off those websites.*

Meta’s next smart glasses: Meta and Oakley have a new pair dropping Friday, made for athletes this time. No specs yet, but they’ll probably work like the Meta Ray-Bans. Think photos, videos, music, calls and AI that describes what you’re looking at. Oh, and the camera might sit in the center of the frame. Wow.

Reason #452 why I sold my Tesla: FSD was a pile of poopy hype. In repeated trials, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature rolled past stop signs and mowed down child-size mannequins like a GTA side quest. Elon says safety is top priority, which is reassuring to the mannequins’ plastic parents. 

🤖 Blocky box office: A Minecraft Movie is exclusively hitting HBO Max this Friday. It’s got Jason Momoa, Jack Black, even a villain named Malgosha, all in one magical cube-based world. It’s already earned $951M+ worldwide since its March debut, becoming the top-grossing film of 2025. You and your kiddos will love it.

Digital Life Hack

Lost retirement money? Here’s how to find it

Nearly $2 trillion is sitting in forgotten 401(k) accounts. Yours might be one of them. Here’s how to check.

Listen on Komando.com →

DEALS OF THE DAY

Feel-good finds

💪 Staying healthy isn’t always easy. These picks actually help.

  • 🎧 From gym to nap: These Bluetooth sleep headphones (24% off) double as a soft headband for your workouts.
  • 🛏️ No chiropractor? No problem, a roll pillow (13% off) supports your neck, back and legs. Bonus: washable cover.
  • 🏋️ Mini bands = major gains: Resistance bands (33% off), level up home workouts. 4.7 stars with 10,000+ reviews.
  • 🧊 Icy relief: Snag an ice pack ($26) that wraps around your neck like a scarf. Way better than a lumpy bag of peas.
  • 📉 Tracking made easy: This body measuring tape (17% off) syncs with your phone to keep you motivated.
  • ❤️ Your heart’s in good hands: Get a chest strap monitor (10% off) that pairs with your favorite fitness apps.

🍽️ Healthy starts in the kitchen: Click here for the tools I count on to cook better, eat cleaner and save time.

DEVICE ADVICE

Don’t wait until it’s too late: I’ve said it for years, viruses attack fast. That’s why I trust TotalAV. Rock-solid protection on up to five devices. Only $19 for the first year. Smart, simple, and it works!*

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Hold the period key on your phone to access hidden punctuation options. Sweet.

Speaking their language: Writing social posts to attract a Gen Zer? Ask ChatGPT to “Write an Instagram caption for Gen Z about [your product or service]. Keep it short, playful, with emojis and slang, like something they’d text a friend.” You’ll stand out in their feed.

🤥 Biggest lie on the web? Clicking “I agree” without reading a word of a site’s terms and conditions. Luckily, Terms of Service; Didn’t Read is a free website and browser extension that scans user agreements and summarizes the key points. Now, you’ll know what you’re getting into.

Lost and found: Accidentally deleted a photo or video on your Mac? Don’t panic. Open your Photos app and click Recently Deleted in the sidebar. Find your lost file and hit Recover. You have 30 days to get it back. Btw, if you never looked there, do it now.

💸 Declutter and save: Don’t toss your old gadgets. Trading them in can get you Amazon credit or discounts on your next purchase. Head to Amazon’s Trade-In page to see what your gear is worth. Easy money!

This is my daily must have. By age 60, collagen drops by half. Hello, joint pain and wrinkles. NativePath Collagen is my secret weapon. Just two scoops a day, and boy, what a difference! Get 45% off, free shipping and a bonus gift!*

BY THE NUMBERS

4,000+

That’s how many natural water brands are out there, and yes, sommeliers are involved. From Tasmanian mist nets to Peruvian snowmelt, hydration’s gone haute couture. Some bottles hit $30+; others wear Swarovski crowns. Welcome to the rise of red carpet hydration. Your Brita? A meager peasant. 

Over 225 billion

The number of cyberattacks Cloudflare sees every single day. The twist? One of the biggest targets is gamers. Hackers love snatching accounts, changing the login details and reselling them. So give your kid a heads-up: Phishing emails are scammers’ favorite move. If a link says “free loot,” it’s a trap.

Within 3 years

A brand-new gold car can lose around 34% of its value. Other colors that don’t age well? White drops about 32.1%, and black comes in at 31.9%. On the bright side (had to say it), yellow holds up best at 24%, with orange right behind at 24.4%. Yeah, I’m still not driving a pumpkin car though.

WHAT THE TECH?

What the tech?

Image: World​.org

Follow me on this one. Sam Altman who created ChatGPT now wants to scan your eyeballs with a glowing bowling ball to prove you’re human online, and he made a jingle about it. 

Seriously.

I told you all about it back on May 6. Orb just dropped its first U.S. ad campaign. It’s basically the “If You’re Happy and You Know It” of human verification.

Go watch the video if you want a dystopian kick in your day. 

Think digital passport for the AI age. It feels like a TSA PreCheck for whatever weird world we’re heading into. 

It already has 13 million verified humans across 20+ countries, with goals to hit 50 million by the end of 2025. Not me.

LOGGING OUT ...

✅ Answer: B) 100. After 100, Chrome stops numbering and just shows :) instead of a number. Basically, Chrome’s way of saying, “Mentally? I’ve checked out. You should, too.” Maybe you’re just on Edge. (See what I did there? Oh, tough crowd!)

👉 Before you go: Incogni has requested my info be removed from over 1,400 different data-broker and people-search sites. I’ve tried doing this myself over the years, and I was happy if I got to a dozen. Incogni offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Use my link for 60% off. 

This is the #1 tech newsletter in the U.S., and I’ll never ask you for a retina scan, just maybe a humble request to share it with someone that could use the tech upgrade. 

Tomorrow, how grocery stores are using surge pricing to make more money and how you can fight back. Until then, just remember: Your tech IQ is on the rise. 📶 — Kim

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Photo credit(s): ChatGPT, World​.org

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