The Current Plus: Malware spreading on Windows and macOS, AI Alexa, search has changed β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β β In partnership with RYSE | Hello there, my friend, on this techy Tuesday! A lot of companies βage downβ their ads to appeal to younger adults. Turns out, a good share of people 65-plus are curious about new technology, not overwhelmed by it. What percent? Is it β¦ A.) 40%, B.) 50%, C.) 60% or D.) 70%? Answerβs at the end! Money talks. Check out todayβs partner, RYSE, to learn how you can invest in an up-and-coming smart-home brand. More below! Now, on to the tech knowβhow. β Kim π« First-time reader? Sign up here. (Itβs free!) IN THIS ISSUE π² 7-year itch π¨ Apps spreading malware π³ Old stoves recalled |
TODAY'S TOP STORY Make your phone last Many new phones from Google, Samsung and Apple now come with seven years of security fixes and software updates. Just a few years ago, you were lucky to get three years. If you want to stick to that seven-year upgrade cycle, though, you need to do some smartphone housekeeping along the way. Keep it updated: Updates can not only keep your device running smoothly and safe from bugs, but they can often speed things up on the performance side, too. Check every now and then to see if you have an update waiting. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update. On Android, itβs under Settings > About Phone > Check for Updates. Replace the battery: This is one of the most effective upgrades you can give your phone. Aim to replace the battery every couple of years β though you should get the professionals to do it. Contact Apple, Samsung or Google directly for options. Youβll pay less than $100. Use a case: Keeping your phone βnakedβ is too risky. Get an OtterBox if youβre a butterfingers. Spigen makes slim, military-grade cases if you like the sleek look. Smartish has wallet cases, grippy options and lots more. Look after the battery: Phones do best in temps between 32 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your phone out of the sun when itβs hot and in your pocket when itβs freezing out. If itβs burning up, turn it off or put it in a shady spot for a while. Putting it in the freezer is a bad idea. Keep it clean: Love these wipes for getting the surface gunk off my phone and screen. Cleaning out the buttons and ports is smart, too, and can help keep junk from getting trapped inside. Makes scratches less likely, too. Delete the junk: Phones work faster with plenty of free storage, so delete any apps and files you donβt use. A quick cleanup: Open the Files app on Android, then tap the Clean tab. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see which apps can get the boot. π₯ Whatβs the difference between an iPhone 15 Pro Max and half an ounce of gold? The gold will still be worth $1,200 in a year. |
WEB WATERCOOLER πΎ Windows and macOS users, beware: Hackers are spreading malware through fake versions of popular apps including 1Password, Bartender 5 and Pixelmator Pro. The malware disables security features and steals your info. Thatβs bad. Be smart and download apps from official stores only. This makes me so angry: A Michigan woman is facing reckless driving charges after she killed a 63-year-old woman by blowing through a red light. She first told cops she was looking at her GPS. Phone records show at the time, she was really texting and watching a movie. Now, a family is grieving over a senseless tragedy. I told ya this was coming: Googleβs AI search results will soon be loaded with ads. Ask something like, βHow do I get wrinkles out of clothes?β and you'll get summarized suggestions, plus ads for stuff like wrinkle spray, along with links to buy them. Google says itβll only show ads when itβs relevant. Doubt it. πΈ Limited magic: Googleβs Magic Editor uses AI to make your pics better. Thereβs a catch: The free version for Android and iOS includes only 10 Magic Editor saves per month. To get more, pay for a Google One Premium (2TB) plan at $9.99 a month. πΈ Duh, it works: A money-saving strategy is all over TikTok, promising to save you over $5,000 in less than four months. Take 100 envelopes and number them from 1 to 100. Each day, deposit an amount matching the envelope number. Envelope No. 1 gets $1, the one labeled β2β gets $2 and so on. Maybe next, someone will go viral talking about savings accounts! You know, where you put money away with interest. Check this recall: If you have an old Frigidaire or Kenmore electric range, it may be a fire and burn hazard. Full list of impacted models here. Youβll need your serial number, so open the bottom drawer and check the inside of the frame. Call Electrolux at 888-845-8226. You might get a free repair or a $50 gift card. Really remote: SpaceX's Starlink system for cellphones can now handle video calls. A demo shows an employee linking their smartphone to the satellite service and connecting to another phone on a regular cellular network. The image quality is grainy and the clip brief, but itβs still pretty cool. Donβt expect it till later this year. Jeff Bezos needs more money: I mean, heβs only worth $201.3 billion. News is coming out now that Amazonβs voice assistant, Alexa, is gonna cost you if you want to use her AI powers. No word on price yet, but itβll be a monthly subscription added on top of your Prime subscription. Will you pay for it? I wonβt. |
LISTEN UP | Don't tell ChatGPT these 3 secrets AI chatbots are handy, but guard your info. Here's why careful sharing matters. Play Now β’ 8:02 βΆ |
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TECH LIFE UPGRADES Did you hear the inventor of the remote died? They found him stuck in the couch. The new Google TV update included Find My Remote. Yup, thatβs exactly what it sounds like. Simply press a button on your streaming device and the remote will beep for 30 seconds so you can find it. Itβs already on some Roku and Walmart TVs. Give back: Be My Eyes is a wonderful free app (iOS and Android) that connects volunteers with low-vision people in need. Sign up and you can help someone do a simple task like reading a product label. Itβs a small way to make a big difference. Your medical claim was denied: And all you got was a form letter. Legally, your insurance company has to send you any relevant info if you know what to ask for. Try this free tool from Pro Publica for help. π Free malware with purchase: Android TV boxes promising free streaming βforeverβ are filled with malware and marketed online like theyβre from Google. Theyβre not. TV shopping? Look for the words βAndroid TV OS,β not just βAndroid TV.β Getting cash is annoying: Split the check for drinks, a concert, vacation β whatever β through Venmo. Open the Venmo app and add your pals as contacts. Choose Pay/Request at the bottom of the screen. Tap the names of the people you want to split the check with. Enter the amount and click Split. You can customize the amount for each person. |
DEALS OF THE DAY Multitools are the best Save money and space with one thing that does many things. Time to feel like Inspector Gadget or maybe MacGyver. These are all Fatherβs Day home runs, too! βWriteβ on: This pen ($9.99) is also a stylus, leveler, ruler, and flathead and Phillips-head screwdrivers. 12-in-1: A hammer (21% off, $16.75) thatβs also pliers, a serrated knife, a saw, a wire cutter, a prying claw, a nail file, a bottle opener, and flathead and Phillips-head screwdrivers. Every car needs one: A flashlight ($23.99) thatβs also a seatbelt cutter, a window breaker, a red flashing emergency light, a power bank and an alarm. |
BY THE NUMBERS 44 million travelers Expected over the coming Memorial Day weekend. And 34.8 million of those people are driving. AAA has the best and worst times to hit the road. Ugh, traffic. 4 steps To fall asleep on a plane. The βgoing-over-the-alpha-bridgeβ method is going viral on Instagram thanks to psychologist Erica Terblanche. Think itβd work for you? Watch the vid! 75% of weddings In 2024 will be phone-free. Unplugged weddings fix that problem of everyone looking at the ceremony through their cam and ruining expensive professional pics. Smart. |
WHAT THE TECH? Wait a meow-ment! Are you kitten me?!
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Komando Referral Program Share this newsletter β Earn prizes! Step 1: Copy your unique referral link: https://join.komando.com/8818309c/ Step 2: Share your link! Post it on social media, send it in a text or paste it into an email to a pal. If they sign up using that link, you get the credit!
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UNTIL NEXT TIME ... The answer: D.) 70%. Yup, the majority of people over 65 say theyβre curious and eager to learn about new technologies, not overwhelmed by them. If thatβs you, great to have you. And if youβre under 65, forward this newsletter to someone over 65, because they need me. π Speaking of, I got a note from a loyal reader the other day that made me laugh: βAlways find new sh**. And Iβm 74.β Heck yeah. Before you go, stop by and see if RYSE is a good investment for you, and be sure to read the offering. Iβll be back in your inbox tomorrow with a favorite topic around here: Legit ways to make more money. No scams, no tricks β just cash. Appreciate you being here with me and the best tech newsletter to infinity and beyond! β Kim | |
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