Thirsty Thursday! I’m obsessed with this lemon water. Fun fact: Coffee is so not for me. My team at work still talks about the time I drank a latte years ago and bounced off the walls all day. Now, on to the tech.

⌛ Quick tip: Move through your open tabs with just your keyboard. Press Ctrl + Tab on Windows or Cmd + Tab on a Mac to cycle. To quickly close your active tab, hit Ctrl + W on Windows or, on your Mac, Cmd + W. Keyboard shortcuts are the best! — Kim

There are two kinds of people: Those who upgrade to new devices anytime something shiny catches their eye and those who wait until their beloved gadgets finally bite the dust before upgrading.

When it comes to phones, there are warning signs yours is on the way out. My recommendation: Save your money and wait till you can say “Yes” to most of the tells on this list before buying a new one.

Lagging: Remember when your apps ran seamlessly? Now, transitions may feel like slow-motion replays. New phones come loaded with up to 12GB of RAM for swift multitasking. Older models with 2GB or less can't compete.

Battery blues: If your phone’s gasping for juice by midday after being fully charged in the morning, it's a big sign. The average smartphone battery retains up to 80% of its charge capacity after 500 full charge cycles.

Storage wars: The dreaded “Storage Almost Full” notification is more than an annoyance. With app sizes getting larger and high-res 4K videos becoming the standard, even 64GB of storage might feel cramped pretty quickly.

Camera woes: If the photos you’re snapping with your phone look like 2010 throwbacks, there’s an issue. Optical image stabilization and larger sensors have revolutionized phone photography.

Update agitation: If you’ve missed the last two operating system (OS) updates, whether you’re on an Android or an iPhone, you're on borrowed time. Manufacturers typically support devices for about 4 to 5 years.

Connection frustration: Frequent signal drops aren’t always your provider’s fault. Newer phones boast better antennae and support more frequency bands.

Bottom line: I upgrade with each new iPhone release (on my own dime) because it’s my job to stay up to date with the latest tech. For most people, that’s really not necessary. As long as your phone gets the job done and still receives OS updates, you’re fine.

😂 What happens when you take a Chinese smartphone somewhere unsafe? You take the Huawei to the Danger Zone.

Monday’s the day: Apple iOS 17 drops on Sept. 18. I’ve been using it in beta, and it’s pretty sweet. You can wait for the update to hit your phone automatically midweek or update manually first thing Monday. Here’s how: Settings > General > About > Software Update.

🤑 3-in-1: HP’s new 17-inch Spectre Fold can transform into a tablet, an all-in-one desktop PC or a laptop, thanks to its bendy screen. Early reviews say it’s light, well-built and incredibly useful. It’d better be for $5,000.

About time: New Chromebook models will get 10 years of security patches and updates. Google has been tricky about Chromebook support in the past, only guaranteeing from the release date of a model, not its ship date. Now that decade starts from the moment your little laptop ships. If you have a Chromebook, this page will tell you when it expires.

🎵 Topping the charts: TikTok is enlisting Billboard to track the top 50 songs on the video-sharing platform. In the lead right now: “SkeeYee” by Sexyy Red, “Paint the Town Red” by Doja Cat and “august” by Taylor Swift. I tried to find out what “skeeyee” means, but I just ended up confused.

If the $5K tablet is out of your price range, get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 for a smokin’ deal right now. It’s $120 off and you’ll also receive a $100 Amazon gift card. The 11-inch tablet has a 120Hz-refreshing OLED screen (translation: that’s really good) and 12GB of RAM. It comes with a stylus, too.

I make the complex world of tech simple and approachable. From explaining the latest gadgets in plain English to offering easy-to-follow cybersecurity advice, I’ve got you covered.

👉 Tech understanding is just a click away!

Lock it up: You don’t have a passcode or password set on your laptop or iPad. That, my friend, is a mistake. Sure, you’re fine at home, but think about what happens if someone ever swipes it. Go into your settings and set that up while you’re thinking about it.

⌨️ Instead of scrolling: You want to see the ingredients for a recipe, the steps for a project or find a certain section on a webpage. Instead of reading the whole thing, just hit Ctrl + F on Windows or Cmd + F on a Mac. Type in what you’re looking for, and hit Enter to find it.

Master of multitasking: Use an iPad? Drag an app out of the dock and place it alongside another open app. They'll run side by side in Split View. Slide down to convert it to Slide Over mode.

Full of it: Quickly switch your active window to full screen on your computer. It’s a helpful way to focus on one task at a time. On Windows, hit F11. On a Mac, try Cmd + Ctrl + F or Fn + F.

😴 You’re getting sleepy: Protect your peepers by activating Night mode on your Android. Go to Display in your settings, then tap on Night Light and set it up. Your screen adopts a warmer hue in the evenings, meaning less strain on your eyes.

Every day, my team and I work hard for you. We scour the internet, talk to smart folks all around the world, and find those hidden tips and tricks to make your digital life better.

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❓ Have a question for me? Drop it right here, or leave me a voicemail at 602‑381‑8200 ext. 290.

You don’t have to rummage through hundreds of birth certificates to find out who you are and where you’re from. There are plenty of free websites with tons of valuable information that will help you build your family tree. FamilySearch[.]org is a good place to start. Its massive, free databases are created and maintained entirely by volunteer users.

Get direct links and more info. →

Those cheese thieves, up to no Gouda.

👋 Hope you laughed at at least one thing in the newsletter — and learned something useful, too. See you tomorrow! Reply and leave a note if there’s anything you want to see in this newsletter. I read ‘em all! — Kim