Hey there, Wednesday. Ready for an action-packed issue? Let’s jump into today’s Tech Hacks.

⌛ Quick browser pro tip: In Chrome, you can access experimental, or beta, features. In the address bar, type chrome://flags and hit Enter. Scroll through and see if any catch your eye. One I like is Experimental QUIC Protocol, which speeds up sites upgraded to Google’s latest optimization methods. — Kim

I love a good fall cleanout, and trust me, I need it. We're unpacking into our new home, and I keep finding boxes of junk I haven't seen in two years.

It's not just physical junk, either. I might be America’s Digital Goddess®, but my phone’s camera roll gets cluttered and my inbox can be a mess, too. It's time for a cleanup, and if there's one cleaning master we can turn to, it's Marie Kondo.

You've probably already heard about the minimalist KonMari Method, especially Step 6 — ask if something sparks joy! A lot of those lessons are perfect for your smartphone, too. So clear some time, get that spiced latte you've been thinking about, and let's make your phone feel brand new.

Slim, speedy and spacious

That's what we're going for with our devices. Obviously, most of Marie Kondo’s magic applies to cleaning out your physical home. Using the same principles for your tech, though, can yield you the same sense of peace and purpose. Follow these steps to see what I mean.

1. Get in touch with your feelings

No, really. Try it. Jot down some emotions about your phone. If you feel like it's a 20-pound weight in your pocket, acknowledge that. If it's brought you closer to friends than you've been in years, put that into words.

2. Say goodbye to apps with no purpose

"Sparking joy" is a fun phrase but not always the best way to filter important apps. I prefer a slightly different approach: Go through every single app on your phone and say aloud one sentence for each explaining why you have it.

For instance, you might say, "This app connects me to my family that I don't get to see for years at a time" or "This app manages all my passwords so I don't have to remember them." You get the idea.

If you spend too much time thinking about that sentence, delete the app. If you start saying a similar sentence for two different apps, delete one.

3. Sort remaining apps by purpose

Group the rest of your apps by category. Here's an option: Set your home screen to include only personal and family apps. Swipe to the next screen for all your work apps. On the next screen, add all your entertainment apps.

4. Take the smile test

Open your Photos app and get your finger ready. Swipe through every photo and clip. If they make you smile, keep them. If they don't, delete them. End of Step 4!

OK, OK — I'll allow exceptions for really meaningful photos or those you need for special purposes (like an ID), but only a couple. It's common to clear 70% or 80% of your photo and video space with this tactic. If you need to get another latte or switch to some chai, I understand.

Keep the zen going

If you feel an almost literal weight lifted from your shoulders after cleaning up your phone, join the club! And I’ll bet you've found some new ways to think about phone use and time management, too.

🧘 If you want to keep this sauna-level feeling of phone clarity, I've got a great guide on apps to boost productivity no matter what phone you use and to-do list apps to organize the rest of your life.

🍌 Always money in the banana stand: Adobe Stock needs to beef produce up its AI image generator, and it’s paying photographers to do it. One assignment: 500 to 1,000 pictures of bananas in “real-life situations.” So, like, in a smoothie? Right now, the Missions feature is in beta, but I expect it’ll open up to any willing photographer soon.

They want your money: Meta’s making it a heck of a lot easier to advertise your small biz on Facebook and Instagram. Its generative AI tools can create backgrounds, fix images and write ad copy. Busy business owners, rejoice! Just be sure to triple-check anything AI makes for you.

🗺️ The lost art of mapmaking: Coming soon to a device near you, Google’s new 3D cartography tool for Google Earth. The cool feature lets you make maps right on your phone or tablet. Look for an update for Android and iOS this week. It’d be fun to track your family’s history!

Landing gear for your TV: A startup called Displace wants to fix how annoying it is to mount a TV. Its 55-inch OLED can mount itself to the wall via suction. If it fails, no biggie — there’s built-in landing gear. Their TV also runs entirely on batteries and streams over the air, which means no cords. Preorders are open, but I can’t bring myself to spend almost $4,500 on a TV.

⌚ (Google) Watch and learn: Gym rats, take notice — Fitbit’s new Charge 6 fitness band is now available to preorder. The slim, sleek fitness device can track your heart rate, speed and the temperature around you. It gets up to a week of battery life, which should blow your mind if you have an Apple or Pixel Watch. Just one caveat: You must have a Google account to use it.

Got a few spare minutes during your drive? Or maybe you're chilling at home? Sounds like the perfect time to tune in to The Kim Komando Show podcast!

I keep it real, breaking down the latest tech trends, cybersecurity tips and gadget reviews into snack-sized, easy-to-understand episodes.

👉 Download an episode today!

📧 Change your Outlook: Next time you rattle off an email at midnight, schedule instead of sending it instantly. I promise your recipient will like you better for it. In Outlook, Gmail and most other big ESPs, you’ll see a dropdown next to “Send” where you can choose a future send time. So smart!

Need a minute? Type “breathing exercise” into Google and you’ll get a 1-minute winddown that walks you through when to breathe in and out. A little calm with no extra app required!

For the next group pic: Don’t be that person who takes one photo and calls it good. You know at least one person’s eyes will be closed. Instead, be the hero and hold down your phone’s camera button. It’ll take a ton of pics in quick succession, giving you a much higher chance for a crowd-pleasing shot.

Muzak when you need it: Certain kinds of music can make focusing easier, like classical tunes or something jazzy like what you’d hear in a coffee shop. Go to YouTube and type in the vibe you’re looking for, plus the word “study” — like “slow jazz study.” Choose an option that’s a few hours long so you won’t have to keep changing things up.

➡️ Lightning fast: In Microsoft Word, use Ctrl + arrow keys to quickly move through words or paragraphs. Combine with Shift to select text as you go.

OK, that’s AFTER you’ve read this newsletter. But you’re here so you’re doing that!

🦷🥚🚽 While you’re brushing your teeth, cooking eggs or, uh, using the bathroom, update yourself with my Daily Tech Update podcast. In just 60 seconds, I’ll catch you up on the big tech news story of the day.

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

When there’s a big car recall, it usually makes it into my Tech News newsletter, but there’s another way to get notifications right from the source: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Sign up on their website and include your VIN to get an email if your vehicle’s ever part of a recall. There’s a free app, too, if you prefer that route.

Get the email or the app. →

The fact he knew his girlfriend still owed him $100 three years later explains why that relationship didn’t work out.

👍 Don’t forget to leave a rating to let us know how we’re doing. Reminder: Comments are optional! I get your rating either way. Appreciate you! — Kim