Security tip: Next time you stay at a hotel, turn on your VPN

Did you know the average American spends more than 24 hours each week online? That is a considerable chunk of time.

If you’re one of many with multiple devices regularly accessing the internet, you probably know you need a secure connection to protect sensitive data. A virtual private network or VPN is the best way to do this.

But VPNs aren’t just crucial for protecting your home IP address. Here’s why Kim won’t ever leave home without our sponsor, ExpressVPN.

No more sketchy public Wi-Fi hotspots

Using public Wi-Fi hotspots is risky no matter where you go, and the potential consequences can be devastating. It doesn’t make a difference if you stay at a 5-star luxury hotel or have lunch at your neighborhood retro diner. You’re risking being victimized by cybercriminals.

Cybercriminals can intercept your connection and access your most important credentials and private data by setting up a fake Wi-Fi access point or just sitting nearby. You can feel secure logging into your banking websites and everything else with ExpressVPN. Your data stays private and secure.

Keep data private on all of your devices

An ExpressVPN subscription comes with easy-to-install apps for all of your devices. You can protect your PC, Mac, iPhone, Android and more.

You can install the app on unlimited devices and have up to five gadgets connected to one account simultaneously. That means you can protect your whole family while on the go.

It’s quick and easy to switch between gadgets. Simply disconnect one device to connect another.

Unrestricted access to all of your favorite content

After a long day of sightseeing, sometimes all you want to do is head back to your hotel room, pull up YouTube on your laptop and watch the latest video from your favorite cooking channel.

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8 ways your phone is tracking you - That you can stop now

You understand that your phone knows where you’re located. This is how GPS works, how Find My sees your location and why you get local ads on Facebook and Google. Like other data on your phone, that location data is a hot commodity for internet marketers.

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Mark Zuckerberg x T-Pain – 'Get Low' (Z-Pain)

I hope you’re ready for Zuck’s “Get Low” cover. Heads-up: The lyrics are pretty explicit. In case you love it, they also dropped it on Spotify under the artist name “Z-Pain.” Does anyone have a Tylenol? I need a Z-Painkiller after listening to that.

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!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

So your kid started a YouTube channel: Get access so you know who’s leaving comments and messaging them. Open the YouTube app on your phone, tap your profile picture (bottom right) > gear icon (top right) > Family Center. Tap Invite a teen to ask to supervise your kid’s account.

Big Tech under President Trump

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TikTok banned, social media regulated like phone companies, and Google broken up — Trump’s presidency could reshape Silicon Valley. Plus, 2024’s worst passwords, why the fast track to software development is ending, and how to stream free movies on YouTube.

Now we’re talking! If you make YouTube videos, you’ll soon be able to earn more money. They’re rolling out an auto-dubbing tool that translates English videos into eight languages. Right now, only creators who focus on educational content can use it. The rest of us will have it in a few months. I can’t wait to try it!

1 billion hours

Of YouTube watched every single day. That beats out all other streaming services. It’s the only streaming platform to top 10% of the viewing market share in 2024. In second place? Netflix, with 7.7%.

Haven't logged into LinkedIn lately? 5 reasons you really should be using it

How much do you know about LinkedIn? Sure, you probably understand it’s a social network for professionals, but it’s so much more.

Unlike most social networks that are used to share the latest vacation pictures, LinkedIn was designed for more important reasons. It can help you make connections, share work experience and find or post jobs.

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Reset your social media algorithms

Still stuck in election season on your social media feed? Or maybe you bought one bottle of perfume and now Big Tech thinks you’re launching a beauty empire. Algorithms are smart, but they don’t know when you’re ready to get back to your regularly scheduled programming, like cat videos and memes. Here’s how to reset your feed and take control of what you see.

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Passengers in an Arizona Waymo autonomous vehicle get a scare

🧘 Coping skills needed: An Arizona mom and daughter thought the self-driving Waymo vehicle they were in might crash while crossing multiple lanes. They made it through, with mom panicking and her daughter cracking up in the backseat. Waymo’s response? The vehicle kept a “safe distance.” Watch the video and see what you think.

🤑 New year, new (higher) prices: YouTube TV subscriptions are getting a $10 price hike to $82.99 per month starting in January. It’s the second increase in less than a year. At launch in 2017, YouTube TV was just $34.99 monthly. Oof, that’s a 137% jump. They say the decision wasn’t made “lightly” (with dollar signs in their eyes). It’s time to decide if you really need it.

Nifty YouTube shortcuts: Press M to mute or unmute a video, K to pause or play a video, and F to enter or exit full-screen mode. While you’re there, follow my channel so you never miss a vid.

🎮 Twitch and YouTube are booming: Gamers spend more hours per week watching other people play video games than playing themselves. This year’s League of Legends World Championship esports event peaked at nearly 7 million viewers. Hey, parents — your kids can turn playing video games into a real job after all.

A new YouTube trend: I thought this was interesting. Searching for “IMG_0001” on YouTube lets you watch videos uploaded from early iPhones between 2009 and 2012. The clips show life before social media took over. There’s no editing, no descriptions and no flash … because the iPhone 3G didn’t have one.

Really like a livestreamer? On the YouTube app, you’ll soon be able to buy “jewels” for your favorite creators. Think of jewels as a virtual tip for the person making the videos you love. As far as tips go, the one profession that should get them is teaching: “Thanks, and here’s $25 for teaching my bratty kid algebra.”

New to the Apple App Store: Google Gemini for iPhone. The AI chatbot has a leg up on ChatGPT in one big way: It links to Google apps like Mail, Maps, Calendar and YouTube. Open the Gemini for iPhone app, tap your profile icon at the top right corner and select Extensions. Toggle on any apps you want to link all in one place.

Making money in podcasting: It’s not easy. Spotify wants to lure creators away from YouTube. Their plan? Pay hosts of popular shows and let premium subscribers watch ad-free (paywall link). YouTube pays creators 55% of ad revenue; Spotify estimates a show pulling in between 1 million and 2 million views a month would earn about $50,000 with them. That’s not a bad return, btw.

🐺 I hope this isn’t true: Online sleuths say YouTuber MrBeast has raked in $23 million through a web of crypto wallets and shady schemes. It’s got all the drama: A long trail of insider trading, misleading investors, and using his influence to pump and dump. Their proof? Transactions, charts, messages and pics of him partying with crypto entrepreneurs. Here’s the full investigation. Great read, btw.

Use YouTube without a mouse: When you’re watching YouTube videos, press K to pause or play, J to rewind 10 seconds, and L to fast-forward 10 seconds. And, while you’re there, join me at YouTube.com/KimKomando.