A very happy Sunday to you, my friend! Dang, I have a lot to share with you. First, trivia time! When engineers at Boeing were testing in-flight Wi‑Fi, they needed a full plane for accurate results. Did they … A.) Give people free flights, B.) Use sacks of potatoes, C.) Put suitcases on board or D.) Borrow crash-test dummies? Answer’s at the end!

❗ Now, this is something. I asked our IT genius, John, to try TotalAV’s brand-new password manager, and he said something I hardly ever hear come out of his mouth: “It rocks!” Do your part and check out Total Password to keep these free newsletters coming. Let’s jump into today’s tech download! — Kim

“Kim, I’d love to buy him an iPad, but money is tight.” I’ve got your back. You don’t need to spend a ton to get your loved ones something nice. Here are some great options that won’t break the bank.

Under $10

• A smartphone stand that’s useful and cute. (Love the pink and blue!)
• Toss a pack of gold undereye patches in their stocking for some pampering. Guys like these, too, for undereye bags!
• They’ll use these produce bags all year long and think of you.
• Make them laugh and save embarrassment later with Poo‑Pourri potty spray.
• Fancy, flakey Maldon sea salt is perfect for the cook, baker or foodie.

Under $15

• Super-cool mood lighting for any room — your Gen Z recipients will think you’re groovy if you give this.
• Lighters are a pain. I switched to the rechargeable electric arc kind and am never going back!
• This bug catcher with a magnifying glass is ideal for kids obsessed with creepy crawlies.
• OK, these are great — Beer-chilling sticks for a cold one.
• This is the best lotion for dry, cracked winter skin.

Under $20

• A reusable smart notebook is perfect for students, journalers or anyone who takes lots of notes at work.
• Make 2024 the year of lattes at home with a milk-frothing wand.
• I got these flashlight gloves for Barry last year and he’s still using them.
• This genius magnetic wristband makes sure the handy guy or gal in your life never loses another screw or drill bit.
• They’ll never overcook the meat again when you gift them a reliable thermometer.

Under $30

• This stylish wine rack holds nine bottles. Grab ‘em a bottle of your favorite, too!
• A wireless Bluetooth karaoke mic is so fun for the performer.
• This trendy water tumbler comes in so many colors, and it’s way cheaper than the Stanley version.
• This super-sweet wireless charger is perfect for the person who can’t stop talking about their new iPhone.

Under $50

• Keep it classy with a wood phone docking station and organizer.
• Orchids die so fast. The Lego brick version is gorgeous and lasts forever.
• Gift the Petcube cam so they can watch their furry friends when they’re away.
• Kick the gray-weather blues with a UV-free light therapy lamp.
• For the person in your life doing Dry January (aka no alcohol), gift some snazzy (and tasty) mocktails.

None of these strike your fancy? Give the best Christmas present in the world: A broken drum. You just can’t beat it! Or … check my gift guides.

From my reader mail: "Hey, Kim. A few years ago, I bought my mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift. The next year, I didn't buy her anything. When she asked me why, I replied, 'Because you still haven't used the one I bought you last year!' And that's how the fight started." Thanks for the laugh, Jon in Texas!

That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about Total Password. You’ve heard me talk about TotalAV, the award-winning antivirus software. They just released a password manager to keep your online life secure. No more writing them down, hitting “forgot password” or relying on your browser.

Total Password is easy to set up and makes logging in a breeze. It works with Windows, Macs, Android and iPhone — and you can download it across multiple devices so you can log in from anywhere. It generates complex passwords for new accounts and imports your existing passwords from any browser or other password manager. You can even delete cookies and download history for specific sites.

I have an exclusive offer for you that’s so good, even I asked, “Wait, really?”

Is your job safe from AI? A new study says AI is coming for some unexpected jobs, including accountants, consultants and even psychologists. Carpenters, roofers and athletes, you're safe — for now. My advice: Level up your skills to stay relevant.

Students get $25 flights home for the holidays: Amazon's giving away 1,000 $25 flight tickets per day for three days only: Dec. 5, starting at 6 a.m. PST, and Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, starting at 12 a.m. PST. Even if you don’t snag a $25 ticket, you can still get a discount on flights. The catch: You must be an Amazon Prime Student member. Click that link for a six-month free trial; after that, it’s $69 annually.

📸 Old dog, new tricks: Scan whatever you want now using the Google Drive app. Oh, and iPhone users, try the title suggestions so your docs name themselves. Open the Drive app > hit the camera or + icon > Scan. Handy, right?

You won’t be-leaf it: Trees are getting their own smart “watches,” thanks to ePlant's wacky but brilliant idea. These tags track a tree's life — almost like a Fitbit for bark and leaves. For $50 a year, farmers and treehuggers get all the leafy data they need.

🌟 Martha, Gwyneth, Mariah, oh my! Celebrities are renting out their homes on Airbnb. Think cheap stays with big perks, like brunch with Martha for $11 (WSJ, pay link). They're not doing this for free — the rental companies pay a pretty penny, and guests must sign NDAs. It's a great marketing idea for sure.

In my no-nonsense, straight-talking podcast, I serve up everything tech in digestible, fun-sized pieces. New to the tech scene? Or maybe you're a pro? Doesn't matter. I’ve got you covered.

👉 Get my podcasts today!

Marketing yourself on social? Length matters. On Facebook, mobile cuts you off at 150 characters, so keep your posts short. On X, 70 to 100 characters perform best. On LinkedIn, go long if necessary, but the first 25 words are most important.

⚙️ Alexa can get annoying: I suggest you turn off “Hunches” so she gets off your case. Open the Alexa app and tap More. Tap on Settings, then scroll and select Hunches. Tap the Settings cog in the upper right, then toggle it off.

Safety is priceless: I sleep like a baby at night knowing my house is safe and secure. I want that for you, too. SimpliSafe has a brilliant feature: Cams that let a live agent talk to intruders and tell them police are on the way. Right now, save 50%.*

Three-finger salute: Windows' Ctrl + Alt + Del opens Task Manager. On a Mac, the Cmd + Opt + Esc shortcut opens the Force Quit box, which lets you quit frozen programs.

❓ Every week on my show, I get to talk with interesting folks and those who could use a little help with something tech. Catch these convos this weekend on a station near you or as a podcast.

• Dakota from Colorado Springs, Colorado, found a hidden camera posing as a fake smoke detector in her apartment.
• Jon from Big Lake, Alaska, bought three old (and super huge) planes to turn into Airbnbs for his flight school. So cool!
• Mitch from Boca Raton, Florida, called me because his brother can no longer talk or walk and needs some tech solutions.

Plus, Tom wants the scoop on Temu, David needs to restore old pics, Fred asks for AI to help seniors, Rick looks for the best car stereo, and much more!

Shop: I put together two tech gift lists. If you’re looking for gifts to impress, I’ve got you covered. Check out this one and that one.

Read: Consumer Reports dove into which new cars are the most reliable if you or someone in your life is in the market. Spoiler: No Chryslers.

Explore: Did you know the International Space Station is the third brightest object in the sky? Here’s how to find it.

☕ Drink: I’m not a coffee person, but boy, do those festive holiday drinks sound good. This healthy maple latte looks terrific. Or a cozy London fog for my tea people!

Toucan play at that game.

The answer: B.) Use sacks of potatoes. The sacks served as stand-ins for real passengers. They were trying to eliminate Wi‑Fi weak spots and knew people couldn’t sit still that long. So funny!

👋 Before you go, check out Total Password. Friends, less than $20 for a year of antivirus and a password manager? You won’t find that deal anywhere else. And it’s a fabulous program, too!

Thank you so much for your support. Be a pal and tell one friend or family member about my free newsletter. Have a great day, and I’ll be back in your inbox bright and early tomorrow with a marvelous Monday edition! I can’t wait to tell you about “grandfluencers!” — Kim