The Current-Sat
Plus: Facebook car scam, deadly TikTok trend, free AI tool for teachers
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May 25, 2024

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In partnership with Incogni

Hello-hello, my tech friend! Let’s kick off our Saturday with trivia. Sure, they grew up with tech in their hands, but Gen Z falls for more online scams than any other generation. What percentage of people between 18 and 25 have been tricked into giving up their info or money? Is it … A.) 10%, B.) 20%, C.) 27% or D.) 34%? Answer’s at the end.

📻 Listen up! The weekend means my national radio show is airing all across the country. Find your local station using our super station tool or search for my last name in your favorite radio streaming app. You’ll learn a ton of stuff not covered in my newsletters!

Safety first. The internet is full of scammers and creeps who would love nothing more than to collect your info. Stop them with Incogni at PrivacyKim.com, where you’ll get an exclusive 60% discount. More below! On to the tech goodies. — Kim

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IN THIS ISSUE

  • 🇺🇲 Secret MDW sales
  • 🚗 Marketplace madness
  • 🚨 Deadly viral trend

TODAY'S TECH HACK

Memorial Day shopping do’s and don’ts

Shopping this weekend? Not all sales are created equal. It might seem like a great bargain, but there’s a season for buying everything — discounts included.

I’m here to save you from kicking yourself when you see that brand-new grill on sale in three months. Here’s what’s worth buying and what you should wait on.

👍 Best deals on:

I found some sweet deals on Amazon right now, but if they don’t strike your fancy, just click the category names below to see everything on sale.

  • Personal tools: This nose hair trimmer is $12.99 (42% off), and this manicure kit is only $8.99 (46%  off). Yes, you need to replace yours.
  • Mattresses: Don’t sleep on Memorial Day weekend mattress sales. Pretty much every mattress company has steep discounts and BOGO offers. I found one on Amazon for 29% off!
  • Phone accessories: Cases, screen protectors and power banks — oh, my! This Anker power bank is only $15.99 (27% off!).
  • Small appliances: Home, kitchen — you name it — now’s the time to buy. Like this Nespresso coffee and espresso machine or a cordless Dyson vacuum, both 26% off.
  • Tools and home improvement: It’s mowin’ season. I found a killer 20% off deal on this cordless leaf blower and electric lawnmower.
  • Beach and outdoor gear: Insulated coolers and patio furniture will be cheapest at the end of the summer, but if you can’t wait, check out this Hydro Flask insulated cooler tote for 25% off or this patio umbrella for 40% off!

💡 Pro tip: For larger appliances and tool sets, Best Buy, Lowe’s and the Home Depot pull out all the stops for MDW. Def worth checking their stores or sites for a deal, and ask if they’ll give you free shipping and installation, too.

👎 Wait on these:

  • TVs and Apple products: Wait for back-to-school deals.
  • Swimsuits, sandals and other summer apparel: Right now, they’re as pricey as it gets.
  • Grills: They’ll be on sale and tempting (like this 29% off Traeger), but you’ll find better prices at the end of the summer.

✅ Psst, here’s a secret link: Amazon is packed with Memorial Day sales. Here’s a link that takes you to just what’s on sale. Everything is marked down up to 40% or more. You’re welcome!

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH  

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Fed up with spam? Try this

Sick of spam calls, unwanted emails and the constant feeling of being tracked? I was, too. That’s why I went looking for a solution. I’m happy to tell you I can’t remember the last time I got a spam text.

Think of Incogni as your personal privacy service. You create a profile and they go to work deleting your information from the web. There are hundreds of sites out there that make money collecting and selling your address, phone number, Social Security number and even your family contacts to anyone willing to pay.

It's all legal as long as they provide an opt-out option — but they make the process as confusing and difficult as possible. Incogni did it all for me, completing 215 removals and even more requests pending.

Try Incogni now for 60% off with code KIM60. →

WEB WATERCOOLER

Never pay upfront on Marketplace: An 18-year-old was just arrested in Fort Lauderdale for posting his neighbors’ cars for rent on FB Marketplace. The scammer collected deposits and then sent renters to the car owners’ real addresses. One neighbor said eight people showed up at her house over three weeks. Another got his car smashed by an angry would-be renter.

🚕 Say, “No way”: Waymo’s self-driving taxis might not be in your town yet, but if you’re traveling this summer, keep an eye out for them on the roads. They’re covered in sensors and hard to miss. PSA: They’re under federal investigation for causing more than 20 accidents. I wouldn’t get in one.

Deadly viral TikTok trend: Kids and teens are huffing paint again, but this time, it has a new name: “Chroming.” A 13-year-old just died and 13.8% of U.S. eighth graders say they’ve tried inhalants at least once. Talk to your kids.

🎓 Share this AI tool with a teacher: Khan Academy’s AI teaching assistant, Khanmigo, is now free for teachers to whip up quick lesson plans, thanks to a donation from Microsoft. You can bet this is going to make a huge dent on teachers who sell their lesson plans on TeachersPayTeachers⁠.⁠com.

Cop today, drone tomorrow: The NYPD has new crime-fighting drones thanks to 24-year-old Blake Resnick’s company, Brinc Drones (paywall), now worth over $300 million with backing from OpenAI’s Sam Altman. This is just the beginning of police drones coming out in full force. You heard it here first.

LISTEN UP

Google Search is changing

Web traffic is dying, and now Google is putting AI answers at the top of its search results. What does this mean for your favorite websites? Plus, Uber's new shuttle service, Tesla drivers ditch self-driving mode, and Jeff Bezos' email etiquette.

Play Now • 38:52  ▶

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Squash it: This list of buggy apps proves it’s not always you — sometimes, your tech really is messed up.

7 years is a long time: That’s how long newer phones will get updates, but you still need to do a little maintenance for yours to last that long.

Not to toot my own horn: But I come up with some pretty genius tech tips. You’re welcome!

ChatGPT can tutor your kid: Oh, how I wish this existed when Ian was taking Mandarin and calculus.

TECH LIFE UPGRADES

Good price, excellent audio: You don’t have to spend $200 or more for high-quality earbuds. Raycons have studio-quality sound and a whopping 32 hours of battery life, and they fit comfortably in every ear with precise fittings. Grab ‘em for 20% off (and free shipping!) at BuyRaycon.com/kim.*

🚢 Summer is here: Officially? No. But who cares? Start the party early with my summer playlist, “Yacht Rock with an Edge!” Such a crowd-pleaser. Put it on for your next barbecue or lake day and be the hero.

Check yourself before you … Go to google.com/devices. Sign in if you need to. Here, you'll see a list of devices you're signed into currently or have been signed into within the last 28 days. See anything that’s not yours? Kick it off your account and change your password ASAP.

🍟 Want fries with that? Different McDonald’s locations set their own prices. McCheapest maps the U.S. so you can see how expensive your local Mickey D’s is.

For your phone: Swipe down on your home screen to open quick settings like Bluetooth, Airplane mode and Do Not Disturb. Even better, you can customize what’s there. On Android, hit the pencil icon. On iPhone, head to Settings > Control Center.

Calling all space nerds: Download WinJupos on your PC. It’s a free, fun way to travel the planets, sun and moon.

DEALS OF THE DAY

Wine not?

Good gifts for the wine-loving dad this Father’s Day (Sunday, June 16) … or the wine-loving you!

🍷 An eight-pack of the best wine stoppers (30% off, $6.99). Love having a bunch of them around just in case.

This wall-mounted wine rack (29% off) fits in small spaces and holds nine bottles. Nice!

🌀 Save his (or your) twistin’ wrist with this fantastic electric wine opener (41% off, $9.96).

Always mixing up the glasses? These markers (29% off, $9.99) are made for writing on glass.

🥛 Four shatterproof acrylic goblets ($13.99) for reds, whites, rosés and iced tea, too. Really, they’re for all your summertime beverage needs!

WHAT THE TECH?

WHAT THE TECH?

The first time I saw this, I was stumped.

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UNTIL NEXT TIME ...

The answer: D.) 34%. That’s more than one-third of Gen Zers! Dang. Compare that to just 20% of Gen X (people 42 to 57) and 11% of folks 58-plus. We’ll call it wisdom.

Your privacy matters. Get your personal info off the internet. It's a pain to do yourself, so let the folks at Incogni do the job for you. Use my link to take back your privacy for 60% off. Score!

See you back here tomorrow with a smartphone health warning everyone should read. — Kim

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