It’s a tech-sensational Saturday, friend! I saw “Wicked,” and the trailers before the movie started were so annoying. Cinemark averages 26 minutes of previews before the movie starts. AMC’s not any better, at 21 minutes. My advice? Book online ahead of time to get the best seats and stay at dinner a little longer … or just wait to watch it at home, where you can sing your heart out. “Wicked” will probably be on Peacock in mid-February to boost its Oscar buzz before the March 2 ceremony.

I’ve never seen anything like it: Today’s newsletter is free thanks to EndpointLock. Identity theft is no joke. You have to check out this new, innovative tech that blocks nasty keyloggers from stealing your passwords and anything else you type into your phone or computer. More below! Let’s dive into today’s tech smarts. — Kim

True story: Last year, a friend’s toddler ordered 20 pounds of dog food and a karaoke machine using only their smart speaker. Mom had no idea till the Amazon boxes arrived. Voice commands and toddlers? Not a great combo.

Funny, yes, but a massive pain — and it’s more likely to happen around the holidays when you’re busy and ordering lots of gifts and last-minute supplies. I’ll show you how to stop that and get your smart speakers in tip-top shape for guests.

Turn off voice purchasing

• Open the Alexa app, select More > Settings > Account Settings > Voice Purchasing. Turn it off entirely.

From here, you can also set up a code for voice purchasing if you prefer to keep it on but protected.

Know your mute buttons

When you have guests and it looks like overindulgence in voice commands (and/or cocktails) could be a problem, tap the mute button on your smart speaker to stop any commands. It looks like a crossed-out speaker icon. For Amazon Echo displays, an accompanying switch turns off the camera, too … just in case.

Set up parental controls

There are things you don’t want voice assistants to look up when guests are around. Parental blocks prevent certain searches, no matter how naughty or rambunctious people get. It is eggnog season, after all.

• If you use Alexa, open the app and select More > Settings > Music & Podcasts. You can then toggle the Explicit Language Filter on or off.

In the Google Home app, open Digital Wellbeing and add filters to specific devices to block unwelcome content.

Change your wake word

If Alexa is your go-to voice assistant, changing your wake word in the Alexa app is pretty easy.

• Go to Menu > Settings > Device Settings.
• Select the device > Wake Word. Your wake-word options include “Amazon,” “Computer,” “Echo” and “Ziggy.” “Santa” is in there this time of year, too!

The bad news: Siri and Google don’t have the option to change your wake word. Now, there are reports Google Assistant responds to “Hey, boobies” (really!), but I’m guessing that’s not really what you had in mind. If you use Apple or Google smart home gear, stick with the mute button.

Set up the intercom feature

This makes it way easier than going to every room to wrangle people for dinner. You’ll need a few Amazon Echo speakers linked to the same account and on the same Wi‑Fi network.

• In the Alexa app, tap Devices > Echo and Alexa and tap your device’s name.
• In the slide-up that opens with your device info, tap the cog icon and scroll to Communications.
• Finally, enable both Drop In and Announcements.

Now, just say, “Alexa, drop in on [your smart speaker’s name].” Wait for a tone, then start talkin’. The Drop In feature is on until someone says, “Alexa, end Drop In” or “Alexa, hang up.”

To send a one-off message, say, “Alexa, announce [your message],” like “Alexa, announce dinner is getting cold!” Steps here for Google and Apple gear.

Itching for a smarter home? The Echo Dot is only $23 right now, and the Echo Show 8, with its 8-inch screen, is 43% off. For the best sound, though, go with the Echo Studio.

🎄 Well, wasn’t that super helpful? Share this with a friend or family member who doesn’t want to deal with guests egging on Alexa at Christmas dinner.

I’m always looking for ways to keep you safe on your devices. Did you know there’s malware out there that records every single thing you type? It’s called a keylogger, and it’s one of the sneakiest ways hackers steal passwords, credit card numbers and private info. Scary, right?

That’s where EndpointLock comes in. Think of it like a secret vault for your keyboard. It encrypts, or scrambles, every keystroke you type. Even if a hacker is trying to spy on you, all they’ll see is gibberish. It works quietly in the background, protecting you every time you log in to your bank, shop online or send a private email.

Keyloggers are more common than you think, but with EndpointLock, they don’t stand a chance!

🕵️ The internet is on the case: The shocking murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, Brian Thompson, has every corner of the true-crime web playing detective. Amateur sleuths are investigating CCTV footage of the gunman to determine his possible motives. Warning: There are so many conspiracy theories out there, ranging from the shooter being denied gender-affirming medical care to Thompson’s wife wanting him dead before their upcoming divorce. Only believe and share credible reports.

404: Page not found: Health insurance companies are busy scrubbing their website leadership pages following Thompson’s death in case copycat killers get any ideas. UnitedHealthcare’s “About Us” section, for instance, now redirects to the company’s homepage. But anyone can still see these pages on Google, Crunchbase, Yahoo Finance, the Wayback Machine … You get my point.

Rich parents tickle their kids by saying, “Gucci, Gucci, Gucci!” Aris Yeager got his big break on social media with a viral video mocking his wealthy college roommate’s entitled behavior. He started an account called “The European Kid,” a parody persona of a spoiled heir. Now, 1.7 million TikTok followers later, he makes up to $30,000 per post.

⛅ Cloudy with a chance of AI: Right now, predicting the weather beyond five days is hit or miss. GenCast, a new AI weather-forecasting system from Google DeepMind, can make 15-day forecasts with up to 97% accuracy. We’re entering the age where severe weather will no longer surprise anyone.

Your inner child just fist-pumped: A new Kickstarter lets you scan any object with its forthcoming Brick My World app, and its AI-powered tech will show you what to buy on the Lego marketplace. Don’t waste your money; Brickplicator does the same thing if you upload a 3D model. While Brickplicator isn’t as snazzy as the Brick My World app’s Kickstarter promises, you can use it now.

🌺 Keep this news to a-lo-ha: Botanists found a new plant species on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. They flew a drone to the Waiahulu Valley, where the cliffs are too steep to climb. The drone’s robotic arm returned a sample that scientists have named Schiedea waiahuluensis. Only about 345 are hanging on for dear life in tiny pockets of soil.

🏠 We have Fort Knox at home: Facial recognition and 3D surveillance are just the first steps for Silicon Valley tech elites turning their homes into military-grade fortresses. The startup Sauron (named after the villain in “The Lord of the Rings”) uses drones to create a “deterrence pod” that projects a searchlight to scare off trespassers. Boy, I could’ve used that when Chilean gangs targeted my home and the Phoenix SWAT team saved the day.

🦸 Psst, you’ll feel like a superhero if you get some gift shopping done this weekend, just sayin’.

• An Anker portable charger (under $20) so their phone never dies.
• Carote’s nonstick cookware set is so darn pretty (54% off, $54.99).
• Replace their decade-old e‑reader with the new Kindle Paperwhite.
• Heated eye massagers for the person who never takes a break.
• I want this! A smart bird feeder (39% off) that records winged visitors and can identify 6,000 species.
• I use this smart coffee mug (27% off) for my evening cup of tea.
• Laneige lip balm for any gal, young or less young, on your list.
• For guys, a Carhartt beanie. I don’t know one who wouldn’t wear it … OK, maybe Barry.

🎙️ Have you listened to my national radio show lately? It’s why I’m in the Radio Hall of Fame! I’m on over 420 stations coast to coast (find yours here), sharing tech tips, news and great calls from folks like you who need help with tech. Hit this link to listen to the podcast version on your schedule.

Iconic: It’s easy to adjust the icon size on your computer. On Windows, right-click on the desktop, choose View, and select from Large icons, Medium icons or Small icons. On Mac, click on your desktop to ensure you’re in the Finder. Then, from the menu bar, hit View > Show View Options, and adjust your icon sizes using the slider. Easy!

I buy supplements online: I’ve taken collagen for years. It’s scientifically proven to help increase bone density, support cartilage regrowth, smooth wrinkles, strengthen nails and make your hair thicker. Get up to 45% off and free shipping at NativePath with my link.*

Word on the tip of your tongue? Type a description into OneLook’s Reverse Dictionary — say, for instance, “Something that makes you feel entertained and informed” — then hit Search. My name didn’t pop up, so I guess it isn’t perfect.

🔐 Streaming security check: See what devices are logged into your account. If you see one you know isn’t yours, reset your password pronto. It’s easiest to do this from a computer. For Hulu, go to Your Account > Watch Hulu on Your Devices > Manage Devices for a list. Steps here for Netflix and Disney+.

What is that? Right-click on a tab in your browser and select Mute Tab or Mute Site. In some browsers, you can also click the microphone on a tab playing noise to stop it. Ah, silence.

Free debt analysis: I did a deep dive on this company, and they’re the real thing. They have an A+ rating from the BBB, too! Go to PDSDebt.com/kim* for your free plan to get out of debt. It only takes 30 seconds.

You’re home! Thank goodness. The tree fainted.

Before your next movie: This nifty website estimates the time your flick will end, including trailer time. Search for the movie name, your theater and the start time. Nice.

🎬 A minister walks into a movie theater. Most of the seats are taken. He spots one and asks the man sitting next to it, “Excuse me, is this seat saved?” The man looks the minister up and down. “No, but it’s willing to listen.”

Security is more important than ever. Check out EndpointLock. They fight keylogging software, which is more common than any of us would hope. If it’s installed on your computer, it’ll capture everything you type.

Have a great rest of your Saturday, and I’ll see you back here for Sunday fun! If you have some free time, be like me and tackle some of your holiday shopping. All my picks are winners if you need inspo. 😎 — Kim