The Current Plus: 900K sound machine parts recalled, Judy Garland reads to you, scary space hacks | In partnership with Firewalla | | Hi there on a techy Tuesday! Let’s play with numbers today. How many 8.5-by-11-inch pages could you print using only one standard black ink cartridge on the lowest print quality setting, with 350 words per page, all in 12-point Times New Roman? Is it … A.) 100, B.) 300, C.) 600 or D.) 1,100 pages? Answer’s at the end! 🚀 Share the know-how. When you see icons for Facebook, X, LinkedIn and email below the main story or tip, click one to share it instantly with coworkers, family and friends. Now, get ready to blast off into the latest and greatest in tech news and goodies. — Kim 📫 First-time reader? Sign up here. (It’s free!) IN THIS ISSUE 🚪 Open door into your network 😞 Teachers’ worst nightmare 💸 Score a cheap flight |
TODAY'S TOP STORY Protect your network “That would never happen to me.” That’s probably what these people thought. There’s the couple who woke up to a stranger talking dirty to their infant son in the middle of the night through his baby cam and monitor. Then, there’s the family targeted by a hacker who cranked up their smart thermostat to unbearably high temperatures. And don’t forget the countless other stories of home security cameras being hacked. Get this: The average home and all its internet-connected devices experience about 10 attacks every 24 hours. Everything from your smart light bulbs to your smart thermostat is a way in. The answer isn’t to throw your hands up or ditch your smart gear. You just need to know how to protect your home the right way. ‘Wouldn’t I know if I got hacked?’ Some of these attacks are loud and in your face, like the email trying to extort you or a computer flashing with pop-ups. But some happen quietly in the background, like these: Botnet recruitment: Getting into your network means hackers may be able to add you to an army of infected devices. Their goal? To use all that power to carry out bigger attacks and hacks. Data theft: Most smart devices collect at least some personal details, like your location, behaviors, health data — whatever. This kind of info is worth money on the dark web. Spying: Think listening in, watching, recording or otherwise stealing info, often to bolster a future attack. Cryptojacking: Thieves want to steal your computer’s processing power and internet connection to mine cryptocurrency and reap the profits. Your computer might be protected Windows PCs and Macs both have a built-in firewall that does the bare minimum. On Windows: Open Control Panel, then type firewall into the search box. Click Windows Defender Firewall. In the left pane, tap Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off to enable it. On Mac: Click the Apple menu > System Settings > Firewall, then turn it on. Now, it’s important to know your computer’s software firewall means nothing if your security cams, smart bulbs and network are under attack. It’s common knowledge that most internet-connected devices have no security protocols. That’s where a physical firewall comes in. It’s a safeguard between your devices and the internet. More specifically, a firewall provides: Traffic monitoring: A firewall examines all incoming and outgoing traffic to your home network and limits activity based on rules you’ve set up. Access control: Choose what devices access your network, plus when and how. You approve any new device (like the cable guy) and choose limits for certain groups or devices (like no internet on the iPad after 8 p.m.). Intrusion detection: Spot threats to your entire network, including devices you typically can’t monitor, like cheaper smart home gear without much built-in security. Content filtering: Choose what you see and don’t see at the device level. This is perfect for limiting a certain group (like kids) from accessing specific content. ‘Kim, do I need a firewall?’ At the Komando HQ, we have corporate firewalls protecting our website, servers, devices, remote computers and more. I have the same at my house, which isn’t your typical home; it has 35 miles of Cat6 cables and 915 smart devices. Yes, you read that right. About 150 of those are UV and blackout shades, essential in Phoenix. When I asked our seasoned IT genius, John, about firewalls for home use because those baked into Windows and Macs are lame, he said Firewalla was the best he’s ever used. Every time we consider a new sponsor, we go through testing processes at HQ, and that all starts with John. Firewalla is easy to set up and easy to use. Everything is managed through an app that’s simple to navigate and understand, with no extra monthly fees. Love that, and you will, too. |
DEALS OF THE DAY Affordable tech upgrades ⚗️ It’s the little things that can make a big difference. It’s a keychain, bottle opener and charging cable in one. Neat! It’s only $8 right now. So sweet: A retractable car charger that can power two phones at once. Following a special diet? This is a measuring cup and food scale in one. Super cool and, yep, on sale. Calling all nerds! This USB fan plugs into your computer and looks retro in a fun, techy way. This adorable bird tap light is great next to the bed or anywhere you want a cordless option. Click the coupon for 15% off! Btw, this emoji — ⚗️ — is an alembic. I had to look it up. Merriam-Webster says an alembic is “something that refines or transmutes as if by distillation. Examples: In the alembic of the child's mind, the ratty old blanket became a magnificent cape.” |
WEB WATERCOOLER 🚫 Teenage mutant bullies: Kids at Great Valley Middle School in Pennsylvania created fake TikTok accounts to impersonate their teachers, posting lewd pics, racist memes and homophobic statements (paywall link). They were suspended. It's got to be so hard for a teacher today. Recall alert: Over 900,000 Hatch Rest first-generation baby sound machine adapters are being recalled, because the adapter housing can come off, exposing power prongs. If yours has model number CYAP05-050100U stamped on it, get a free replacement here. 🔊 Old Hollywood returns: AI company ElevenLabs is bringing dead celeb voices to its Reader app. Soon, James Dean, Burt Reynolds or Judy Garland will voice your next audiobook. The app can turn PDFs and other text formats into voiceovers, too. Hmm, James Dean reading you The Current sounds fun. Go to Greece? Feta late than never! Book international flights online at least 60 days in advance for a deal. “Shoulder season,” aka off-peak times, will save you even more. A September Europe trip means good weather without high prices and summer crowds. We’re talking a roundtrip for under $400! 🛰️ Something to ruin your sleep: Hackers’ newest target is outer space, where they could disable satellite GPS signals for airplanes, boats and cars … or take down all satellites providing the internet. The right mind could even corrupt planetary probe data, giving inaccurate atmospheric or water readings on Mars. Yikes. 🐭 Remote work warning: Companies are rooting out mouse jigglers, devices that make it look like you’re online and working when you’re not. Surveillance systems identify repetitive cursor movements and keyboard clicks, as well as scrape screen images (paywall link). If you’re using this stuff, stop. Say “No way” to Waymo: A Phoenix police officer pulled over a self-driving Waymo veering into oncoming traffic. Waymo says the vehicle was confused by the construction signs. Nobody got hurt. Check out the video here. |
LISTEN UP | | Get the old Google back Google’s results are a mess, but you can go back to how things used to be. Play Now • 10:00 ▶ |
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TECH LIFE UPGRADE Alexa as an alarm clock: Amazon’s latest Echo model, the Echo Spot, displays the time and weather above a simple speaker. It’s 44% off right now, too — a great price if you want one. Plus, with this alarm clock, you can leave your smartphone in the kitchen for even better sleep. It took 41 years: Windows Notepad finally has spellcheck and autocorrect. In Windows 11, it’s enabled by default. You'll know it's working if you see a squiggly, red line under typos. To turn it off, click the gear icon in the top right corner of Notepad and toggle off both under “Spelling.” 🤖 “So, uh, where do I find ChatGPT?” Use it on the web or download it for iPhone or Android. You’ll need to create an account. The free tier works for most people. Give it a whirl if you’ve never tried it. Quick cleanup: Clearing the cache on your browser can fix annoying display or loading issues. With your browser open, hit Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, or hold down Shift and click your browser’s Refresh button (the one that looks like this — ⟳ — next to the address bar). Hot take: Compressed air isn’t worth the money. The cans run out so fast! I like this high-powered blower instead. |
Cybersecurity made simple My job is to help you make your digital life as good as it can be. One way we techies protect our cybersecurity is with firewalls. Think of a firewall as a way to control what goes into and comes out of your network, all in one place. Free firewalls aren’t going to do what you need. You want something you can fire up and forget. Firewalla is a simple, affordable and powerful option you can trust. With Firewalla, make your own rules and policies for online activity — perfect if you run a business or have kids at home. Firewalla adds protection against hackers and helps you secure your network, too. A firewall is a must to shield your business, manage your kids' or employees' online activity, safely access the internet while traveling, and securely work from home. Don’t wait to protect your network! Get started now. → Please support our sponsors! |
BY THE NUMBERS $22M stolen painting Found at a bus stop. “The Rest on the Flight into Egypt” sold last week at Christie’s. An art detective found it at a bus stop seven years after it was stolen from a British marquess. Fun fact: A marquess is ranked above an earl and below a duke … not to be confused with the Duke of Earl. No. 1 on the App Store For noplace, a Gen Z social app. It feels like a mix of Twitter and Myspace, with totally customizable profiles (just like back in the day!) and a Top 10 friends area, similar to the old Myspace Top 8. 160-degree ground temp In Phoenix during the middle of the day. NASA’s analysis is actually pretty scary. I was stranded in California yesterday until it wasn’t too hot to land in Phoenix. And don’t even get me started on it being a “dry heat.” So is an oven! |
WHAT THE TECH? This is totally me with speed trap cameras. I flash the peace sign and smile! |
UNTIL NEXT TIME ... The answer: C.) 600. Ink manufacturers come up with estimates based on the numbers I gave in the question, but, as with most things in life, your mileage may vary. 🎶 It’s so annoying when music comes from your printer. Out of nowhere, it starts jamming. Thanks for reading, my friend. Tomorrow’s free newsletter is all about helping you spot what’s real and fake online. It’s eerie how hard it’s becoming to tell with some things. Until then! — Kim |
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