Hey, hi, hello to you on this wonderful Wednesday. A big FYI: New Gmail rules just kicked in to stop junk from getting to your inbox. I’m all for less spam (yay!), but what happens when the mail you want gets hidden away? Yep, I’m talking about this newsletter!

Help me help you. Here’s how you can tell Big Tech Gmail’s algorithm you want my emails: 1.) Hit the flag next to my name to mark mail from me as important, then 2.) Reply to this email from your inbox. Send me whatever you want — your hometown, an emoji, your favorite dad joke. Everything helps!

📰 Tech moves fast. Luckily, so do I. I’m here to keep you one step ahead. Let's dive in! — Kim

“Kim, I’m concerned that my phone is going to give me cancer. My wife tells me I’m paranoid. What do you think? Thank you for your newsletters and shows. It helps me keep up with our two teens.” — Robert in San Antonio, Texas

I understand your concerns, Robert. The FCC says the radiation coming from your cellphone is no big deal. A cancer surgeon friend told me he begs to differ. I play it safe and keep my phone away from my body and head as much as possible. (Yes, I’m that person taking calls on my AirPods or speakerphone.)

Some phones, it turns out, emit more radiation than others. See where yours falls on the list.

What, exactly, are we measuring?

Specific absorption rate, or SAR, is measured by how much radiation is emitted when you make a call with the phone up to your ear.

Nerd time: SAR is measured in watts per kilogram of body weight. You don't need to know all the details, just that the legal limit in the U.S. is 1.6 watts/kg. Btw, in case you’re wondering, the legal SAR limit in Europe is 2.0 watts/kg.

Livin’ on the Edge

These models emit the most radiation, so you’ll definitely want to keep them away from your head and body:

Own a ZTE or Galaxy Note? Congrats

These phones emit the least radiation:

What about the iPhone?

It falls somewhere in the middle:

I’d rather be safe than sorry

For every study that shows your phone is perfectly safe, there’s another about the impacts of even low-level radiation on the body.

I rarely bring my phone to my head or put it in my pocket. AirPods are my favorite way to take a call (I’m an iPhone gal). Go with AirPods Pro if you can. On an Android, here’s a budget earbuds option and the fancy ones.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

Now, use the icons below and share this important intel with your family and friends. Safety first!

Here are some simple ways to give your bathroom a new look. No hammer, contractor or big check needed. Love that.

😀 Catch my new video stream: We take a fun look at the latest in tech Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. Pacific (1:30 p.m. Eastern). Catch it live or on demand on YouTube, Rumble, Facebook or wherever you watch your favorite vids. See you there!

Major recall: Over 750,000 Hondas from 2020 to 2022 have a faulty sensor that could deploy their airbags. The kicker: Honda has known about the issue since 2020 but only decided to act now. If yours is impacted, you’ll get a note in the mail next month — or you can call your dealer today and ask.

Will the real Satoshi please stand up? The quest to unmask Bitcoin's founder, “Satoshi Nakamoto,” is hitting U.K. courts. Australian Craig Wright says, "It's me!" but most in the crypto crowd say he's full of it.

⚙️ Forced Windows upgrade: In a new preview update, Microsoft is pushing Windows 10 users to Windows 11 with big, in-your-face invites. That means February’s update is going to be extra annoying. Bummer.

💳 Scam alert: “Super skimmers” are devices installed inside ATMs by criminals to swipe your card info. Set up mobile alerts on your banking app to keep an eye on any funny business.

Ancient recorder: Thanks to AI, a Greek philosopher's thoughts on pleasure are finally revealed after 2,000 years. A Nebraska student bagged $40,000 for bringing Herculaneum scrolls to life. His discovery? A millennia-old guide to living the good life.

Why so cirrus? The decentralized, user-driven Bluesky platform hit 3 million users — and it's no longer invite-only. Check it out and let me know what you think. So far, I'm unimpressed with yet another social media platform wanting my attention.

I believe I can fly: Taylor Swift's team is lawyering up against a college kid sharing everywhere the pop star goes in her private jet. Jack Sweeney says he’s shining a light on celebs’ carbon footprints, but Tay's team argues it’s stalking and harassment.

🛑 Thinking of driving for Uber? Pump the brakes. Dean Ceran, an Uber vet since 2016, grossed $100,000 in 2023 … and ended up with a measly $20,000. Most goes to taxes, maintenance and Uber's hefty slice.

Android and iPhone cams have built-in photo timers. That means you don’t have to ask a stranger to take your pic — or worse. My friend handed her phone to someone to take a photo of her and her daughter, but the guy ran away and stole it.

For iPhone:

On Android:

👉 Why were photographers so depressed before digital cameras were invented? They spent too long processing the negatives. (Too bad only anyone over 35 will get that one!)

🤑 Get an instant $20 Amazon credit: Spend $80 on Procter & Gamble items like paper towels, medicine, shampoo, diapers and detergent on Amazon, and you’ll get a $20 credit. Sweet deal if you need to stock up on essentials. Shop now before this sale is over.

Like with email, you can mark a text as unread: That makes it easier to remember to respond. On iPhone, simply swipe right on a conversation to mark it as unread. On Android, hold down on a conversation, tap the three dots, then Mark it as unread.

🔇 Too many tabs and too much noise? Right-click on a tab in your browser and select Mute Tab or Mute Site. In some browsers, you can also click the microphone on a tab playing noise to stop it.

Shopping for flights, hotels or tech online? Prices go up based on your search history. Use your browser's Incognito or Private mode or a VPN when shopping to prevent this. You’ll get a consistent price — not inflated based on recent searches. I recommend ExpressVPN.* My link gives you three months free.

🎧 If your wireless earbuds won’t connect to your phone or your PC can’t recognize your wireless mouse, shut ’em down. Yep, a restart often fixes Bluetooth glitches. I just saved you 10 minutes of tinkering in the settings. You’re welcome!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video can go even further. Showcase what your business can do and add a more human touch with Video Voicemail from Philmore Productions.

Your customers can watch videos of your product or service — or just see your face — and leave you a video message of their own. Think FaceTime for business.

The setup is simple. Download the Video Voicemail app, create your profile and upload a video up to 5 minutes long. Now, callers can reach your company’s video mailbox and watch everything from a product demo to you introducing yourself. You can even call right back from the app. So easy!

The fly fishing tournament would be a great livestream.

⌛ Quick organization tip for the road: Photo library a mess? Do what I do. When Netflix is on, I delete photos off my phone that are just taking up space. All those food pics, bloopers of Abby and screenshots go right into the intergalactic bit bucket.

Before you go: There’s really something special about seeing someone’s face before you do business. That’s where Philmore Video Voicemail comes in. You can record a quick hello, a whole product demo, whatever you want — and your customers can respond via video, too.

🥰 Thanks for reading, friend. See you back here tomorrow, same place, same time! Be sure to rate this issue below so I know what you’re thinking about my free newsletter. — Kim