Printer pro tip: If you run out of black ink right before you need to print a doc, don’t panic — just change the font color to dark gray or blue. You probably won’t even be able to tell! OK, now order some ink.
3 travel tips to make your next trip easier and less stressful
Travel is stressful, no bones about it. But with the right tricks up your sleeve, you can make things so much easier on yourself and anyone coming to see you. And that’s what I’m passing along right now.
So your trip isn’t a total suitcase-trophe!
Little trackers use signals from other phones to determine where they are located. Toss one in your luggage and you can see whether it made it to your destination or point out to the airlines where they lost it.
Insider secret: AirTags are worthless when your luggage goes through the airport’s inner conveyor belt system. There typically aren’t enough iPhones nearby for them to work.
- Apple’s AirTags are ideal if you have an iPhone, Mac or iPad.
- The Tile 2-pack is Android compatible and has a tracker for your luggage and one to slide into your wallet.
And you can track your luggage using the airline’s official app, too.
3 more reasons to use your airline’s app
- Book on the fly: Search, book and manage your flights right from your smartphone. Pro tip: In the case of a canceled flight, don’t follow the folks standing in a huge line or waiting on hold for 30 minutes. Rebook through the app to shortcut those lines.
- Get your boarding pass: Ditch the paper. Store your boarding pass in the app and simply scan your phone at the gate. You can check in for your flight, too.
- Real-time updates: Get instant updates on gate changes, delays, cancellations and where to grab your bags.
Make the worst-case a little less bad
You know what I’m talking about, right? A canceled or delayed flight. Before I leave for the airport, I look up my trip on FlightAware. If your plane is stuck in a different city, you’ll see that here before your airline updates its app.
In the case of a canceled flight, don’t follow the folks standing in a huge line or waiting on hold for 30 minutes. The trick is to rebook through the app. You’ll shortcut those lines.
See if the credit card you booked with offers trip insurance. Coverage varies and it can be hard to understand all the intricacies, so call your card company to discuss options. They might pay for a hotel room when the airline won’t.
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Talk techy to me: Get your work done faster with this pro tip
AI still has a long way to go, but I’ll tell you one thing: Writing with your voice is getting a heck of a lot easier.
Maybe you dictate text messages, but there’s so much more you can do if you start dictating for work, too. I’ll show you how, plus I’ve got some tips to make your spoken words shine on the page.
What to do if your credit card is on the dark web
Not sure of the steps to take next? Hear these tips.
Quick tech tricks: Save printer ink, avoid malware, speed browsing and more
You need a timer, and you need it fast. Do a Google search for “timer” and one appears right there for you to use. There’s a stopwatch option, too. Easy, right?
Here’s another smart tech tip I’m surprised so many people mess up. Most people fill in the email recipient section before writing the message. That’s a mistake. Make that your very last step — that way, there’s a much lower chance you’ll send an email before it’s truly ready to send.
Don’t want to drop $1K on a new phone? Do this instead
It was a little anticlimactic when I went from the iPhone 14 Pro Max to the 15 Pro Max. Side-by-side, they look an awful lot like the same phone. The one thing that stood out was how shiny and clean the 15 looked.
You don’t have to shell out a lot of money — jump into the settings and use a little elbow grease to make your current phone sparkle.
2 signs you're getting AirTag stalked
Feeling watched? Find out how to catch sneaky AirTag trackers with these tips.
Tech tricks to keep warm
It’s cold out there, but don’t worry, I’ve got some tips to help you stay toasty.
5 dating app tricks
Looking for love? Here are some quick tips to boost your online dating game!
Tips to avoid big return fees
Some gifts don’t quite make the cut. Here’s your guide to returning them without any extra charges.
Store 100K songs for free, font tracking & internet lowers dementia
Plus, wonder what really goes down with your car at the mechanic’s? I’m talking car cams — could be just the thing you need. I’ll also be sharing some tips with June from Knoxville on how to document her past adventures as a police officer. And get this: a really cool plant ID tool.
Tips to stay safe this New Year's Eve
Heading out solo? Check out these tech tips to help you stay safe.
Get automatic car recall notifications
Yet another car recall? Keep up-to-date on your vehicle’s safety with this essential tip.
Tips to keep your phone safe in the cold
Did you know that ice and snow can wreak havoc on your phone? Here’s what you need to do to keep it safe.
Bathroom spy cams, Google product updates & GTA 6 fake downloads
Plus, Mitch from ScanMyPhotos fought credit card giants for 18 years and won. Small-biz owners, he’s got tips on claiming your share of a $5.5 billion settlement. Also, ChatGPT’s new quirk? It likes big “tips”! Google’s top travel spots, and how to check your phone’s real battery power.
Bestselling items on Facebook Marketplace - and how to score them
There’s a lot of weird stuff for sale on Facebook Marketplace. It’s not just old strollers, an elliptical that collected dust for three years and a gross old couch. We’re talking drugs and a lot more … adult things.
How to read a privacy policy (fast)
Reading the top 96 websites’ privacy policies would eat up 47 hours of your life. Let’s get you those hours back with some speedy deciphering tips.
Warning: Hackers are spreading malware through Bing AI
When you want to find a scammer, follow the money. Remember when Microsoft rolled out Bing Chat, backed by OpenAI’s GPT-4, in February 2023? They wanted to shake things up and go smack up against Google. Yeah, I used the words Microsoft Bing for once in my life without laughing.
Make this change if your browser is slowing down to a crawl
Quick! What’s the one app you use more than just about any other? I bet it’s your browser. It takes you everywhere online. But with countless extensions and tools, not to mention the complexity of today’s websites, we’re working them to death.
You don't have to tip
Touch screens are complicating the tipping process. Here’s my take, in one minute.