Wishing you a splendid Thursday, my tech-savvy friend! Let’s kick things off with trivia you can share with the dino-loving kid in your family. How many Tyrannosaurus rex (you know … big mouth, big teeth, tiny arms) dinosaurs existed in North America before their extinction? Was it … A.) 2,500, B.) 250,000, C.) 2.5 million or D.) 2.5 billion? Answer’s at the end!

I need your help. Now and then, I send out questions to learn more about how to help you in your digital life. Your feedback is essential. Take my three-minute survey here. As my thanks, you’ll be automatically entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Now, let’s do this! — Kim

I grew up in New Jersey, right next to a state park. I lived there till I was 10, and I still remember riding my bike all day like it was yesterday. Oh, and the time I knocked out my front tooth on the swings … and the time I threw a snowball at a police car and hit the cop inside. That was bad.

I hadn’t looked at the house in years, so seeing it on a map took me back. Yup, click that link to see where I grew up! And while you’re at it, take yourself on a walk down memory lane, too.

Blast from the past

There’s something special about seeing what the house you spent your childhood in looks like now — or you can flash back for as long as Google has been collecting pics in that area.

💡 I have an idea. While you’re looking at your old house, write down three memories in the Notes app on your phone. Next time you’re with the kids, show them the house and tell them a few stories. So fun!

Ahoy, matey

Let’s go from close to home to far away. Google Earth has captured images of thousands of shipwrecks over the decades. To snoop around, open Google Earth and search for the specific coordinates below:

Some people find this so fascinating, they’ve created giant interactive maps. Check out one of the largest here. Super cool, right?

🚀 The fun doesn’t stop here — I just can’t fit it all in this newsletter! Head to my site for steps to explore space from your couch and lots more.

🤣 I once met the man who invented the part of a map that explains what each symbol means. Wow! What a legend.

Check out this cool stuff I found to help us all get organized. Spring cleaning, I’m comin’ for ya!

We need all the help we can get: Hackers have access to all the fancy new AI tools rolling out, too — except they’re using it to crack into your devices. Protect your data and your money with strong antivirus software. My pick is TotalAV, and it's just $19 for a whole year!

This is interesting: China, Russia and Iran are the masterminds behind the social media conspiracy theories swirling about Princess Kate. Their goal? To cause panic and destabilize the U.K. They were forced to switch gears when Kate announced her cancer diagnosis. Now, internet conspiracies claim Kate has been replaced by a lookalike.

Watch for a new "reset password" attack: Bad guys bombard you with messages to reset your Apple ID and then call you, pretending to be Apple Support. Don’t reset your password, and don’t give out your password over the phone. Speaking of passwords, if you’re tired of dealing with hard-to-remember ones, get the password manager I use. Use this link to get 50% off now at Keeper Security.* It has over 275,000 five-star reviews, including mine!

Double-edged deal: The Telegram app is offering free premium subscriptions when you send 150 two-factor authentication texts on its behalf. Why? Because it’s expensive to do it themselves. The catch: Everyone you send a 2FA text to gets your real phone number. Just pay the $5 for Premium, folks.

👻 Juicy deets: A class-action lawsuit against Meta reveals the company used secret tech to get a leg up on Snapchat back in 2016. The scheme, dubbed “Project Ghostbusters,” sidestepped Snap’s encryption to track everything people did on the app. Who ya gonna call? The Feds.

Subaru recall: If you have a 2020 to 2022 Outback or Legacy, listen up! About 118,000 SUVs and sedans have a sensor glitch that could leave your airbags useless in a crash. Contact your dealer to get the faulty ODS sensors swapped ASAP.

📱 Want to be the groovy, hip parent? Talk to your kids about Xiaohongshu (paywall link). Pronounced "shau-hong-shu," the platform is like Instagram and Reddit had a baby, and it’s where peeps get honest feedback on everything from their fashion choices to nose shape. Yup, another Communist China app for our kids.

X is on a bobsled to hell: Wondering where to spend your social media time, especially if you’re in business? You have to see this chart that compares how X is doing compared to other social media platforms. Dang, it’s bad … really bad.

🚨 Don’t be a victim: If your router is more than two years old, be sure it still gets updates; if not, it’s time for a new one. Hackers are taking over thousands of routers every day and turning them into “proxy services” to cover their illegal activity. Need router recs? Let me know when you rate this newsletter! The more people who say yes, the better I know you want this info.

✅ Speak your mind: Let me know what privacy-related issues matter to you so I can do a better job for you. One person who completes the survey will win a cool $100 Amazon gift card. Good luck!

Microsoft Quick Assist: Bet you don’t know it’s built into Windows 10 and 11. It makes it easy to share your screen with someone remotely. No install needed (love that), in case you ever need to help someone — or get help from someone — on your PC. Instructions here!

You never know when social media algorithms will change: If you have a biz, you need a direct connection to your customers. Constant Contact and HubSpot are high-powered, and Intuit Mailchimp offers good free and low-cost options. Don’t forget the signup form on your site. Ta-da! Signed (up), sealed and delivered — your customers’ contact info is yours, not Meta’s.

📺 My (TV) name is: Your default TV name is the model name at best and more like a Star Wars character name at worst. Change it to whatever you want. For ideas as to where to find yours, on newer-model Samsung TVs, it's under Settings > Connection. On Android TVs, open Settings > Device Preferences > About > Device Name. This is great to know when you’re troubleshooting your Wi‑Fi.

Save downtime for vacation: If your router has a SIM, you can use a cellular network as a backup. The Netgear Orbi 4G LTE is a solid option. I’d classify it as pricey but worth it, especially if you live (or have a vacation home) in a rural area with unreliable service.

The only way to keep it your business do that is with a VPN. A virtual private network encrypts your data and hides your IP address, giving you an extra layer of protection from snoops, advertisers and Big Tech companies looking to profit off you.

Some VPNs slow your connection or, worse, track your internet activity and compromise your security. Not ExpressVPN. Plus, you can connect in just one click from a Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, iPad, you name it.

🚨 Deal alert: Get an extra THREE months free since you subscribe to my newsletter.

I’m feeling scrap-tastic.

The answer: D.) 2.5 billion. Scientists estimate that while there were only 20,000 Tyrannosaurus rex alive in North America at any given time, the species existed for 2.5 million years … which, after some big math, gives us 2.5 billion T. rex.

Have you ever seen a T. rex fossil in person? I saw one at a natural history museum once. The teeth were pretty yellow — he could’ve used a few rounds with a toothbrush and some Crest-aceous. (I know, sorry.)

👉 Oh, take three minutes now to take my privacy survey. Someone will win a cool $100 Amazon gift card. It might be YOU!

In tomorrow’s newsletter, I’ve got a quick way to make your streaming services stop recommending such crappy shows and movies. Reply now to this email and tell me your favorite streaming shows. I’m always looking for great, new stuff to watch! — Kim