gifts Archives

Happy Valentine’s Day! A little tech love

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. It’s the perfect excuse to spread a little love in the simplest ways. A quick heart emoji, a sweet message to a friend or even just a kind word can make someone’s day. And if you’re flying solo? Treat yourself to something special and enjoy a little you time.

Speaking of things I love, here are some tech tools I use every day to make life easier, safer and more fun.

💙 Find My: It’s how I know where my phone is, find my headphones and know my son Ian landed safely after a flight without having to text him to check. (Mom win!)

💜 Family group chat: It’s me, my siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles sharing jokes, stories and hellos. My sweet cousin Arlene sends a daily prayer. It’s a small reminder that connection matters.

💚 AllTrails: A little time outside makes me feel like me again. I use this app to find the best hiking, biking and walking trails (iPhone, Android). Sort by distance, views and dog-friendliness.

💖 Apple Pay: On an Android, it’s Google Pay. I don’t like carrying a purse, so it makes life so much easier! And, yes, I stick some cash in my phone case just in case someplace doesn’t allow tap to pay.

❤️ Home security cameras: I use an app called Virtual Keypad (iPhone, Android) to control the alarms at my house in Phoenix, my studios and my home in Santa Barbara. My favorites are the notifications from the gate cam in SB. The random 4 a.m. buzzes are always bobcats walking by.

💖 AirTags: No joke, I own probably 20. The tiny trackers (29% off) are in all my cars, my bags and basically everything Barry owns. For Android, Chipolo and Tile (40% off) work, too.

💜 Wireless earbuds: I love noise cancellation. Now, Barry doesn’t like them so much since he’ll talk to me for five minutes before he realizes I can’t hear him.

💚 Siri: Google Assistant for my Android pals. I use Siri every day to text for me. I just taught Barry this one: “Hey, Siri, open [whatever app you want] for me.” No more searching apps. Oh, and “Siri, turn on my flashlight” is a good one, too! Yes, you can also turn it off this way.

💛 CarPlay: It’s amazing. Directions, traffic alerts, music and podcasts, calls, and messages, all in one spot. Remember (gasp) the days of MapQuest?

🩷 Robo-vacs: I resisted for so long and now I’ll never go back. The mop version is a game-changer in my house. It’s connected to Alexa so I can say, “Alexa, wash the floors.” Whoa, this one is 45% off.

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Got a side hustle? Watch out for this tax change

Every morning, I sit down with my amazing executive producer, Madi, to plan what tech tidbits I’m going to bring you in my national radio shows, podcasts and this newsletter. Today, she came in with a doozy.

Her boyfriend got an email with a tax form he wasn’t expecting. Last year, he made about $20,000 on eBay selling comics, some bikes and a few other things. Like most folks getting a 1099‑K for the first time, he has no idea just how much he’ll owe yet.

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The clock is ticking!

🏃 Last-minute gifts that’ll (hopefully) arrive by Christmas. You can do this!

PSA: Check the shipping date! When I did, these all arrived before Christmas.

For the pink fiend, a Paris Hilton air fryer (25% off, $60). It’s cute!
A jade roller and gua sha stone set (53% off, $7) are a slam dunk stocking stuffer.
These nice Cole Haan men’s sneakers go with basically any outfit.
$15 popcorn? 30 minutes of trailers? No, thanks. Gift at-home movie nights with a popcorn maker ($20).
This Lego board game is fun for the whole fam. You build Lego towers the characters race up.
A Chinese soup dumpling kit is fun for your favorite cook. If they don’t like dumplings, what about a French tart kit?
Make French fries even yummier with a seasoning set (click the coupon box for 25% off).
Give a golfer a golf ball and he’ll golf for an hour. Give a golfer a whole bunch of golf balls and he’ll golf all week.
This gym bag is water-resistant and lightweight, and it has a shoe compartment and spots for wet clothes. Win-win.

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🚦 Stock your car: Emergencies happen and you’ll be glad you were prepared. Consider an emergency kit and a jump box. Excellent gifts for new drivers, too!

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Secret Santa gift exchange? Nope, that's a pyramid scheme

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An online game promising 36 gifts for the price of one? Sounds like holiday magic — until it all comes crashing down.

‼️ 3 email scams spreading now: Look for these three big ones. First up, fake invoices for bills, gifts or whatever. Scammers hope you’re too busy to check and will just pay it. Second, bogus celebrity endorsements — go to their official social media profile or website instead of trusting a random email or ad. And finally, keep an eye out for extortion schemes in your inbox. More crooks are using your personal info and maybe a photo of your home to scare you into paying them. Stay sharp!

12 hours per week

Time children should spend reading, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed 10,000 kids and found the earlier they started reading for fun, the better their learning, memory, speech and mental well-being. Looking for some book recs? Here are the bestselling kids’ books on Amazon right now. They make great gifts, too!

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AI how-to: 10 prompts to try with ChatGPT or your favorite bot

Twenty-five-odd years ago, CBS and ABC execs told me tech was just a fad and passed on my national radio show. So, I syndicated it myself. The rest is history.

Now, I hear the same thing about AI: It’s a phase, and it won’t last. Hate to break it to you, but AI is here to stay, and it’s already changing everything. Start using it now or risk getting left behind.

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Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and lots of love from me

Christmas Day is a time for reflection, gratitude and connection. This year, it’s extra special as Hanukkah also begins tonight. Both holidays remind us of the importance of light, hope and the traditions that bring us closer together.

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The final countdown

It’s now or … go to the mall. Good thing you can overnight these.

PSA: Check the shipping date! When I did, these all arrived before Christmas.

This instant-print camera (10% off) is made for toddlers and kids.
For your fave birdwatcher, binoculars (20% off) with low-light vision.
These inkless handprint kits (13% off) are perfect for couples, parents, fur parents and anyone else who loves sentimental gifts.
There’ll be no more stuffed animal casualties at the hands (paws) of your pup with a stuffed animal storage hammock (38% off, $10). Cute and practical.
This clip-on strainer ($10) will become their new kitchen must-have.
This desktop CD player has built-in speakers and Bluetooth. CDs are totally back in.
Some people don’t realize how much time they spend hunched over their iPads. Get them a holder (62% off, $9!).
This travel backpack ($24) is water-resistant and has a USB charging port, a shoe pouch and a laptop pocket. It’s basically five gifts in one.

For the organizer, a Bluetooth label maker (under $30).

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How to listen to An American Christmas

The holidays are all about traditions, and here’s one you won’t want to miss: “An American Christmas.”

My husband, Barry, produces the show every single year. It’s packed with heartwarming stories, classic holiday music, songs from new artists that everyone will like and just the right amount of nostalgia to make your season bright.

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Stop Alexa from spoiling your Christmas surprise

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Don’t let your Amazon Echo ruin the holiday surprise. A quick settings change can keep your gifts under wraps.

Feeling the pressure? I’ve got ya!

🎁 These gifts come just in time for Christmas.

A Polaroid camera (20% off) with Bluetooth and an app you can use to edit your photos. The future is now!
Oakley sunglasses are a spec-tacular gift.
For the traveler: a nice laptop backpack ($70) saves time while going through TSA security checkpoints.
My niece uses this skincare brand, and she freakin’ glows. The set comes with a bunch of goodies.
For their 2025 walking resolution, Reebok sneakers (for men and for women).
Honest Beauty’s mascara is to die for. It’s also under $20.
This hair-drying wand (20% off, $120) is the perfect alternative to Dyson’s $600 Airwrap.
A shiny new golf bag would be an un-fore-gettable gift. 🏌️
I don’t know how they did it, but this is the best workout mat (15% off) I’ve ever owned. (I gifted myself a Peloton Tread, and it’s great.)
For the person obsessed with their journal, colorful ballpoint pens. They’re under $10, too.

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Scammers are targeting teens – Warn your Gen Zer about these tricks

I told you about the 14-year-old who committed suicide after following the advice of an AI chatbot. Another family is suing the same one — Character AI — after it told an autistic 14-year-old to kill his parents. It also exposed an 11-year-old to sexual content.

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'Where'd you get this?!'

🎁 Gifts that are almost too cool.

This vintage Kate Spade tea kettle (16% off) is so dang cute.
A migraine relief beanie could be the gift of the year for the person who needs it.
Sandwich cutters and sealers (27% off) are great for parents who don’t want to shell out for Uncrustables.
This magnetic wooden trivet ($50) attaches to any metal cookware so they can place hot pots and pans anywhere.
Make the nice tequila extra fancy with Himalayan salt shot glasses ($20).
Declutter their kitchen with magnetic spice jars. They come with labels, too!
This beeswax candle ($30) extinguishes itself when the flame reaches the clip, and it looks like a little beehive! Cute.
A pretty at-home fondue set (19% off; clip the coupon for an extra $5 off) will have them saying, “I don’t mind if I fondue.”

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Stop faking it: How to get the presents you want

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Tired of pretending to love bad gifts? An Amazon Wish List trick makes sure you get what you really want — no fake smiles required.

Romantic gifts for your significant other

❤️‍🔥 Turn the holidays into lovin’.

A hand-casting kit (20% off) makes a mold out of your and your partner’s hands. Freakin’ adorable.
Scratch off all the food you’ve eaten together on this travel print (11% off). Or maybe just decide what’s for dinner.
Don’t tell them you got a stuffed waffle maker (29% off), and surprise them in bed with a Nutella-filled waffle. Not advised with white sheets.
A chalkboard coffee mug ($13) lets you write a new message every morning for your partner. Cute!
For long-distance lovers, tap this lamp, and your partner’s matching lamp will light up in the same color.
This portable picnic table (22% off, $35) has wineglass holders — no spillage disasters allowed.
This homemade gin kit comes with two bottles, so if you mess up yours, you can just steal sips of theirs! That’s love.
They knead a massage gun in their life.

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Gifts that give them something to do

🏡 And they won’t even have to leave the house.

Stop spending hours in the candle aisle trying to guess what scent they like. They can make their own with this kit!
A cozy cup holder is great for movie lovers … or anyone who doesn’t want to tear apart an entire sectional looking for a lost remote.
You’ll have the hottest gift of the day with a hot sauce-making kit. Maybe pair it with a gallon of 2%.
A dream decoder ($16) might help them figure out why they keep dreaming about pugs wearing tuxedos.
For the person who loves YouTube and podcasts more than crafting, these headphones sound as good* as models three times the price.
A sushi-making kit (23% off, $8), because paying $16 for a California roll at a restaurant is lunacy.
Channel Columbo with a fun murder mystery game (33% off).
This cookbook (29% off) has 100 recipes straight from Disney’s parks. And yes, it has the Magic Kingdom Dole Whip. Mmm.
This book (34% off) is like paint-by-numbers but with stickers. Even I can do that!

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Practical gifts everyone will love at $10, $20 and $50

Thank goodness I’m almost done shopping! I’m here to help you be a hero on Christmas morning at whatever budget floats your boat. Psst, if you need stocking stuffers, use this link.

⁉️ “Hey Kim, I still need to find the perfect gift for …” Worry not! I have hundreds of ideas for you right here. You’ll get it done in a jiffy with my picks!

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Unique gifts for kids

🎁 These are way more memorable than a gift card or Robux.

If you ever need space from your little ones, turn on a star projector (30% off, $35). They’ll be over the moon. 🌝
An LCD doodle tablet ($20) is basically a fancier, way cooler Etch-A-Sketch. Click the box for 10% off!
A slime kit ($9) is the perfect gift for a fidgety kid (or adult — I don’t judge).
I used to love these rubber band bracelet kits (18% off). I’m so glad they’re still around.
Minecraft Legos — need I say more?
This DIY kit ($10) keeps ‘em busy making cute mini donuts.
Kinetic sand ($14) is so much fun. Bonus: It’s way easy to clean up.
Indisputable fact: Every girl wants pink hair at some point in her life. This temporary hair chalk ($15) even works on dark hair.
A bath bomb potion kit ($20) is basically a bathtub science lab.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.