Happy Monday! In 2018, which unusual item did Elon Musk’s SpaceX launch into space, making headlines worldwide? Was it … a rubber duck, Musk’s personal Tesla, a full-size model Yoda or a wheel of cheese? Bonus points if you know where it’s located now.

Power up, tech lovers! Can you hear the future calling? It’s saying, “Get ready to zoom ahead of the pack ‘cause Kim Komando has your back!” 

📶 If you have crappy cellphone coverage, be sure to check out today’s sponsor, Wilson Signal Booster. These things really work! — Kim

Need money in a pinch? You might turn to one of the new cash advance apps to make it to your next check. But a recent study shows that helping hand might cost more than you bargained (or budgeted) for. 

I dug through the analysis of 15 of today's most popular cash advance apps to give you the scoop. And if you’re looking for a Benjamin Franklin in shining armor, prepare to be disappointed.

Being broke is expensive

Cash advance apps in Apple's App Store and Google Play have fees added on a $100 advance ranging from $6 to $28, with the average at just over $15. That often includes a monthly subscription — basically, you're paying them whether you need an advance or not.

Oh, and about half the apps include an optional 15% tip to use the service. Sorry, but until my cash advance brings me a side of breadsticks, I’ll pass.

To cover their butts, cash advance apps often require access to your checking account. In addition to pulling money directly out of your wallet, they'll also hit you with sky-high interest rates — 500% or higher, in some cases.

Payday loans have a notoriously shady past

We’re talking about unauthorized bank account withdrawals, hidden interest rates, harassment from collections, and other tricks to keep borrowers trapped in a cycle of debt.

Modern cash advance apps and services strive to improve by offering overdraft protection and more upfront repayment terms. But in 2021, the Financial Health Network found app users frequently take advances consecutively — behavior identical to payday loan borrowing.

Bottom line: There’s no such thing as ‘free money’

I'm not going to recommend any apps here. The truth is, there's no good option. Though there’s no shame in exploring your resources when strapped for cash, it's wise to depend only on cash advance apps in a true emergency. 

✅ Learn more on what to look out for before getting an app advance.

I don’t want to take credit for this; cash or a check will be fine, though. Seriously, this is good intel to share with your family and friends. Hit the icons below to do that now.

Signal boosters ensure crystal-clear calls, speedy texts and unbroken data streaming, no matter where you are. From remote job sites to sprawling ranches, from large homes to your RV or car, a signal booster gets rid of dead zones.

Wilson Electronics' boosters are compatible with all U.S. carrier networks. They're built to adjust automatically to changing network conditions, providing you with a consistent signal boost. You’re not buying better coverage; you’re investing in a long-term connectivity solution.

Massive cyberattack: Millions in Louisiana and Oregon might've just had their Social Security, driver's license and state ID numbers exposed. The villains? Evidence suggests a Russian ransomware gang. If you live in these states, freeze your credit now.

💍 Too much bling: Yep, there is such a thing. If you like your ride bedazzled, avoid this push-to-start “Bling Ring” on Amazon. It could mess with your car’s ignition button and damage it for good.

Wanna get away? Flying’s expensive. But if you don’t care where you go, you can use this Google Flights hack to find cheap flights. Just put in when you want to travel, but leave the destination blank to see a list of affordable getaways. Perfect for planning a family trip during your kids’ or grandkids’ school break.

E.T., phone home: Our cellular towers might be giving Martians easy access to listen in on us. A new study by the BBC says if alien tech is better than ours (and it probably is), cosmic visitors could be tuning into Wi-Fi signals and cell convos. 

😧 Back(aches) 2 the future: Researchers have studied what today’s remote workers will look like in 2100 if they continue to WFH. Results? A sunken face, hunchback, curling fingers, anxiety and depression. Yikes. You have to see these images — check out the video!

Garage grief: Despite a year’s notice about Google Assistant pulling its “conversational actions” feature, Chamberlain never came up with an alternative to use its myQ garage door openers. So, if your garage door is controlled by a myQ system, it’ll no longer work with Google Assistant.

Google is downsizing … and getting out of the domain game. Never thought I’d say that. It’s turning over its database of over 10 million domain names to Squarespace — for $180 million. Domains at Squarespace cost more than Google was charging, but Squarespace says it’ll honor Google’s pricing for a year. 

📺 Switching top gears: There’s a trend now to turn older, collectible cars into electric vehicles. No messing with getting vintage engine parts. What do you think about this? I like the sound and smell of old engines. Check out this awesome video from CNBC about people turning their gas cars into EVs.

Every morning, brush your teeth to my Daily Tech Update. You get fresh breath and fresh tech know-how in a minute.

Listen to my podcast, Daily Tech Update, here.

Remote work is a gift, they said. You can work from anywhere in the world, they said. But you know what they never mention? 

Spotty Wi-Fi. Restrictive visa limits. These things can turn remote working from a dream to a drag — unless you know precisely where to go. Luckily, some countries are rolling out the “techpat” welcome mat (yep, that’s what they’re calling techy, semipermanent ex-pats these days).

The top countries with ‘workable’ internet:

1. Thailand: 196.20Mbps and an average temp of 80 degrees. Thailand’s median download speed is hefty enough to support multiple video streams. Mike James, my technical director for almost 20 years, is moving there in a few months.
2. Spain: 172.04Mbps with a chance of paella. If you want to do more than just email coworkers and work in Excel, Spain’s got you covered.
3. Romania: 171.15Mbps to live your Audrey Hepburn Vespa fantasy. Wait, that movie was “Roman Holiday,” wasn’t it?
4. Hungary: 134.43Mbps for you to stream from its famed thermal spas. Nothing like a soak to de-stress from a long day of video calls.
5. Portugal: 128.50 Mbps — plenty for your pictures of pastel de nata. Plus, its high-speed rail gets you from Lisbon to Porto in under three hours!

Want to extend your stay a month (or three)?

🏝️ Fun fact: More than 50 countries already offer “digital nomad” visas. Here's who else is wooing remote workers.

You know you saw an article on a specific website, but, for the life of you, you can’t find it. Newsflash: You can turn Google into a search engine that crawls any website. All you need to do is hit the tab button.

• Start typing the address of the site you’d like to search. Google will automatically complete the URL if you’ve visited it in the past.
• Don’t hit enter. Instead, press the tab key.
• The URL will convert into a search engine for that website.
• Now, type in your search term and hit enter.

This works in Edge and Chrome.

For Chrome, Safari and Firefox, you can use this trick: 

• Enter “site:” followed by the website you want to explore and the search term. For example, you might put in “site:komando.com tech tips” to search my website for even more clever tech tips.

🧑‍🍳 Chef’s kiss: You can do it with recipes, too. Try “allrecipes.com: blueberry muffins.”

“I’ll get you, my selfie!” – The wicked witch of the web

🚘 The answer: Elon Musk’s personal cherry-red Tesla Roadster with a mannequin dubbed “Starman” wearing a SpaceX suit in the driver's seat. When I checked on Starman Tracker, it was about 125 million miles from Earth, cruising at 44,000 mph.

🧆 How does Elon Musk’s significant other call him to dinner? “Elon, time tweet!”

Thank you for beginning your week with the best tech newsletter in the world. In a few days, I'll be starting a fabulous program where you can earn prizes like an iPad for referring your friends to sign up! How great is that, right? So start thinking of everyone you can send my way! — Kim