6 ways tech can solve life's little annoyances

Minor tech annoyances can seem small at the moment. But in the grand scheme of things, they can cause stress and wasted time. If you don’t want tech issues to have a significant impact, cut them off with these tech life hacks.

They can even help you when you’re away from your computer. Read on for a few easy ways to make your life easier.

This tip is brought to you by our sponsor, TotalAV, Kim’s pick for antivirus and antimalware security. Protect your devices for just $19 for the first year at ProtectWithKim.com.

1. Stop missing important emails

Most email providers let you turn on alerts. This way, you know immediately whenever an email comes in. You may read this and think, “I get too many emails. If I turned on alerts, my phone would constantly blow up!”

Hold on a second. You can turn on alerts for specific email addresses. This way, you’ll never miss an email from an important contact.

Using Gmail as an example, here’s how to use this feature:

Follow these steps on your iPhone, iPad or Android:

  1. First, open the Gmail app.
  2. Tap Menu > Settings.
  3. Select your account.
  4. Then, tap Email notifications > High priority only.

2. Stop forgetting what you need at the store

Always forgetting that one thing at the store? Have your phone remind you to pick it up when you walk through the door. Make a shopping list in the notes section of the Reminders app on your iPhone. Here’s how:

For iPhone:

Continue reading

Unlock your iPhone's full potential: 12 must-know tips

Fun fact: When you set up your iPhone, invisible dots create a detailed map of your face so you can open your phone by looking at it. How many dots are used to map a face? Quiz your friends and family over the holidays. The answer is 30,000. Whoa.

Continue reading

My favorite way to scan on iPhone: Use the Notes app. Pro tip: Choose the option to Scan Documents instead of Take Photo or Video. This keeps your phone from putting a duplicate copy in your Photos app. Less clutter that way!

Starlink dodges space junk, drones fight wildfires & rental car privacy mistake

00:00
–:–

Open/download audio

Plus, here’s why you shouldn’t send sexy pics while online dating. Don’t miss out on the major updates from Microsoft, Apple, and Android. Discover secret tricks for using your notes app, learn how to track your steps without buying a Fitbit, and uncover an amazing thrift shop find.

 

This might be the best iPhone feature you never knew existed

It’s no wonder iPhones are so popular. Even though the high-end models will set you back $1,000 or more, they’re undeniably easy to use and packed with incredible features.

Did you know you can use the Notes app as a document scanner? You can upload a document and share it however you like in just a few clicks. Tap or click to try this super easy tip.

Continue reading

Tools you didn’t know were built into your iPhone

The iPhone turns 16 this year and is constantly evolving. Here’s what may be coming with iOS 17 later this year.

Whether you’re new to the iPhone or have had one for years, there’s always something new to discover. Check out these tools you’ll use all the time.

Continue reading

Have an iPhone? You can store secret pics in the Notes app. Open the pic in the Photos app, tap the share icon and select Notes. Open the note you want to protect, tap the three-dot icon in the upper right and then choose Lock.

Lock it away: Your most private notes can be locked behind a face or fingerprint scan in the Notes app on your iPhone. With a note open, tap the three dots at the top right and then Lock.

Listener question: ‘Where’s the safest place to store my wife’s naked pictures?’

Fibbing on the internet is as easy as stealing candy from a baby. So, when a Kim Komando Show listener wrote to me and said he was a world-renowned fashion photographer, I raised an eyebrow. Then he asked me for advice on storing nudes safely, and both eyebrows shot up.

Continue reading

A safe way to sign PDFs and convert them to different formats

PDFs are useful for sharing documents in their original format and layout. They can be used for manuals, forms, resumes, contracts, scanned material, pages from a book, eBooks and more. A PDF will be correctly displayed on any device you send it to and look the same for everyone.

Continue reading

15 tech tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner

Most gadgets don’t come with a user manual that spells out every feature. We learn them by doing, when someone spills the beans or asking, “How’d you do that?”

For example, no one thinks to dive into a new router’s settings. The more connected devices you have, the more critical is this step. Tap or click here for a few essential steps to ensure your files, data, and network are safe from hackers and snoops.

Continue reading

Secret way to send hidden messages on an iPhone

Apple’s iOS devices are packed full of wonderful features, but one that is often overlooked is the Notes app. It is more than just a humble way to jot down ideas, shopping lists or reminders.

Hidden inside its code are functions that you probably didn’t know about. We previously covered seven handy ways to use Apple’s Notes app, but did you know that you can use it for collaboration?

Continue reading

5 incredibly useful things you didn’t know Apple Notes could do

I bet you’re making more lists of things (work, home, groceries, kids, etc.) lately. Notes comes standard on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, but you probably don’t realize how you can use the app. It’s much like what you do with an older device. Tap or click here for 10 ways you can use an older iPhone or iPad, from turning it into a car’s dashcam to a second monitor.

Continue reading

7 incredibly useful ways to use Apple's Notes app

If you are an iPhone user, you know the best way to create checklists, jot down a quick thought or sketch ideas is with Notes. Save to your iCloud account, and your notes are updated and accessible from all your devices.

Continue reading

iPhone trick: Use the Notes app to scan documents

Ever wished you had a portable scanner in your pocket to digitize important documents? What if you had one all along, and you just didn’t know about it?

There are plenty of document scanning apps on the iOS App Store and some are better than others. But why download one of those when you already have the power in your hand?

Continue reading