Social media is a place where we can loosen up a little. You can post jokes, silly pictures, or whatever on Instagram, X, Facebook and more. Unlike most social media sites, our sponsor, LinkedIn, is pretty buttoned-up.

You always need to put your best foot forward. After all, it’s where you connect with coworkers and find new careers. That means you should avoid being too personal since that can damage your credibility.

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Right now, I’m sitting here beaming because my inbox is at zero. Really! Did I read and reply to every single message? Well, no. Before I took back control, I had 409 unread messages. But I have a trick to starting each year with a clean slate. You can do it, too!

Clear out your inbox

Drowning in emails? Here’s a surprisingly easy fix to begin the New Year right: Archive your inbox. It’s like a magic wand for your digital clutter!

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A meme with a bunch of scrambled letters and words is going around social media and it is supposed to give you insight on what to expect in the upcoming year.

Here’s how it works: Relax your eyes and casually scroll through the image until you spot words. The first four that you see will be your mantra for 2024.

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Health apps track your steps, heart rate, sleep patterns and more. But they’re capable of so much more. You can add your health information to certain apps to keep all your records in one place and share them with your doctors. You can even track your medication.

These health apps are quite helpful if you have someone in your life with medical problems or an elderly family member who needs assistance keeping up with their medications and doctor appointments. Here’s how it works.

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Remember screaming, “Dinner’s ready!” Or maybe you had a fancy built-in intercom system in your house? Those clunky old systems feel outdated today, but man, were they handy.

Good news: You have access to the future world version if you own any smart speakers. It’s super easy to set up. Let me show you how.

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I want to document walking my city’s 100-mile hiking trail system on YouTube. I tried with an old GoPro, and the footage and sound were so jumpy. Any ideas?

— Albert in Texas

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]]> 895590 https://www.komando.com/tech-tips/tech-steps-before-you-pass/894009/ Thu, 02 Nov 2023 22:00:00 +0000

I know — it’s a grim topic. But we have to think about what happens to all our online accounts, data, notes, photos, videos, websites, playlists, blogs and subscriptions once we’re gone.

Do your loved ones a favor and get this sorted out beforehand.

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]]> 894009 https://www.komando.com/money-tips/halloween-meal-deals-2023/895448/ Tue, 17 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Halloween is lurking around the corner, and you know what that means — spooktacular treats and deals! 👻 I’ve rounded up some fang-tastic offers for you to sink your teeth into this season. No tricks, just treats, as we dive into these mouthwatering deals.

Don’t miss these Halloween bargains

1. Auntie Anne’s: Get ready for a taste explosion with 20% off the new confetti pretzel nuggets and a drink when you join its rewards program. But hurry, this deal only lasts until Nov. 13!
2. Baskin-Robbins: If candy didn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, don’t worry. Enjoy 31% off scoops of ice cream on Oct. 31. The perfect way to top off Halloween.
3. Buffalo Wild Wings: Enjoy buy-one-get-one 50% off wings with 26 sauce and seasoning options for dine-in, takeout or delivery. A Halloween feast awaits.
4. Carvel: Score $5 off orders of $25 or more on Uber Eats, Grubhub and Doordash from Oct. 28 to Oct. 31.
5. Krispy Kreme: For a sweet and scary delight, head to Krispy Kreme on Oct. 31 in your costume and snag a free donut. It’s become a sugary Halloween tradition.
6. Jamba: Celebrate National Pumpkin Day (Oct. 26) with 50% off any item when you purchase a pumpkin smash smoothie online or on the app.
7. Johnny Rockets: From Oct. 25 to Oct. 31, enjoy free chocolate chip cookies with any in-store purchase. No need to wait until Halloween for your dessert fix.
8. Sonic: On Halloween, savor 50 cent corn dogs all day and half-price cheeseburgers after 5 p.m. A savory twist on Halloween treats.
9. TGI Fridays: You can pick from 10 lunch offerings available for $10 on Oct. 31. Choices include chicken alfredo fettuccine and a whiskey-glazed chicken slammer combo. Plus, all month long, indulge in $4 cocktails, $5 wine and $2 beers.
10. White Castle: One deal leading up to Halloween is 13 cheeseburger sliders for the price of 10. The offer lasts through Oct. 31. Also, keep an eye on its social media for daily specials, such as a buy-one-get-one breakfast combo and 25% off all mobile orders on Halloween. These are the deals Harold and Kumar live for.

Halloween just got a whole lot sweeter with these devilishly delicious discounts. Enjoy, and have a ghoulishly good time!

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]]> 895448 https://www.komando.com/tech-tips/simplifying-tv/894657/ Wed, 04 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Our mother has dementia, and the TV patients use at their home is connected to a cable system. Is there a simpler solution than having them select an input and then finding a station they want to watch? I know we are not the only ones going through this. So frustrating.

— Todd in Minnesota

What a pain, Todd. You’re a good son to try to make this easier for her. I found an excellent solution for you: the SofaBaton X1 universal remote control. 

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]]> 894657 https://www.komando.com/tech-tips/google-bard-new-tools/894222/ Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0000

ChatGPT launched last November, and it didn’t take long for the alarm bells to start ringing at Google. “Uh oh, AI is here and it works — what do we have?” (That’s the convo I imagine, anyway.)

Google brought co-founder and billionaire Sergey Brin back from his island paradise to get working on a solution. And now, finally, something exciting enough you’ll actually want to use it — Google Bard integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, you name it.

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]]> 894222 https://www.komando.com/tech-tips/google-calendar-tips/874494/ Mon, 18 Sep 2023 20:30:00 +0000

Let me put it this way. If you’re not using Google Calendar (it’s free), you’re missing out. Here are some things you can do with it.

Personal appointments and events: Beyond birthdays and meetings, manage personal commitments from school dates and doctor’s appointments to spa days. 

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]]> 874494 https://www.komando.com/tv-streaming-reviews/streaming-shortcuts/893658/ Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0000

A friend is raving about a new show you just have to watch. You’re in, you’re excited and then you realize, “Oh, it’s on a streaming service I don’t subscribe to.”

The problem used to be there wasn’t anything to watch. Now, there are too many places to watch shows and movies. Here’s a fast, easy way to find out what’s available where.

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]]> 893658 https://www.komando.com/tech-tips/medical-implant-tech-risks/893473/ Thu, 07 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0000 https://www.komando.com/?p=893473

Most of us know someone with implanted pacemakers or defibrillators — and I’m willing to bet those people use tech in their everyday lives.

Here’s the scary news: Magnetic fields from everyday tech can cause life-saving devices to malfunction. Yes, iPhones are on the list, but so are iPads, Apple Watches, AirPods, Macs, HomePods and Beats. 

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]]> 893473 https://www.komando.com/kims-column/lifesaving-tech-essentials-for-school-children/893231/ Sat, 02 Sep 2023 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.komando.com/?p=893231

Back-to-school time means loading up on school supplies and taking your kiddo to get new shoes. You still have to do that — but now there’s more than ever to get prepped.

I know it’s a tricky topic, but certainly one you’ve thought about if you have a little one or even a teen at home. You need to consider your child’s safety. Here’s my advice to protect them in an emergency like a school shooting.

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]]> 893231 https://www.komando.com/money-tips/20-smart-side-hustles/606050/ Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.komando.com/?post_type=columns&p=606050

Technology has opened up a lot of job opportunities. Specialized apps and websites make second jobs more accessible and flexible than ever — and some people are making serious bank.

Here are 20 jobs in regular demand, thanks to advances in consumer tech.

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]]> 606050 https://www.komando.com/safety-security-reviews/how-to-spot-fake-accounts/859981/ Thu, 20 Jul 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Spoofing social media accounts is one of the most common ways scammers try to trick victims. In this attack, cybercriminals will steal posts and pictures to create fake profiles to fool you. If you don’t know how to spot fake accounts, you could lose a ton of money to scams.

Verified account icons help you tell when a profile you’re looking at is official. One problem with Twitter is that anyone can purchase a blue checkmark now, making account verification difficult. Here are some ways to distinguish genuine social media profiles from convincing fakes.

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]]> 859981 https://www.komando.com/money-tips/15-tech-freebies/845299/ Wed, 19 Jul 2023 21:00:00 +0000 https://www.komando.com/?p=845299&preview=true&preview_id=845299

There’s always something new to spend money on regarding tech. Here’s a secret some companies don’t want you to know: You can get a lot without spending a dime.

Speaking of money, I hear from people all the time who want to cut Netflix, Hulu, and other expensive streaming services. Did you know that mobile carriers offer free streaming service subscriptions as part of their plans? Here’s what T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T are offering.

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]]> 845299 https://www.komando.com/tech-tips/repair-clinic-appliances/869031/ Tue, 18 Jul 2023 21:00:00 +0000 https://www.komando.com/?p=869031

When a home appliance fails, it’s not always easy to diagnose the issue. What’s causing the problem and why? Tap or click here for 10 bad habits destroying your home appliances.

We’ve found a helpful tool with a find-a-part database to refer to when fixing an appliance. You can plug in your model number or brand and quickly get the answers you need.

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]]> 869031 https://www.komando.com/tech-tips/recipe-management-software/858050/ Mon, 17 Jul 2023 21:00:00 +0000

If you value family traditions, you should store recipes in the cloud. Replacing tattered cookbooks makes life easier and your kitchen cleaner. It’s easy with recipe management software.

A cloud-based library allows you to access your recipes while away from home. This means you can pull up a recipe on your phone to get all the ingredients at the grocery store. While you’re there, use these seven strategies to save money on groceries.

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]]> 858050 https://www.komando.com/money-tips/make-money-with-your-car/890849/ Sat, 15 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Your car is just sitting in the driveway or garage, costing you money. Maybe it’s paid off (hooray!), but gas and maintenance add up. You might as well use those four wheels to make some cash. Here’s how.

The obvious choice: Rideshare

Uber and Lyft are at the top of the rideshare game, and it’s worth considering if you enjoy driving and are a people person. Don’t get too chatty, or your reviews might not be great. You’ll have to pass a screening, and then you can work on your own time to generate cash from your ride.

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