Besides the Car Pro Show and our weekly newsletter, my other favorite radio show and newsletter is Kim Komando’s. We are on many of the same radio stations across America. She does for her listeners and newsletter subscribers exactly what I endeavor to do: Give you useful information to keep you up to date on the latest in cars, only she does it with technology and there is nobody who does it better. Not sure how she puts out a top-notch newsletter seven days a week, but she does.
With her permission, I comb her newsletters each week and curate a list of her tips and advice that I think you'll find relevant and interesting. Here's what I have for you this week!
From Kim's Newsletters:
3-second tech genius: Lost your phone somewhere in the house? Say, “Hey, Siri, set a timer for one second,” or “Hey, Google” on Android. The alarm sounds even on silent mode. Nothing happening? On iPhone, check Settings > Siri> Talk to Siri. On Android, open Google app > Settings > Gemini > Talk to Gemini hands-free.
Hidden kill switch: Your car may have a hidden tracker nobody mentioned during the cheerful finance-office hostage situation. A popular automotive telematics device, KARR, used in millions of vehicles, has a vulnerability that can let hackers reach it remotely and shut a car down (paywall link). These boxes are often installed by dealers and lenders to protect inventory and upsell. Since it’s aftermarket, the fix may be on you. Check for a KARR/SWDS driver-side window sticker, blinking button beneath the dashboard or KARR listed in the vehicle’s paperwork or dealer add-ons.
3-second tech genius: Your 4K TV may be hiding its best picture. Pull up Settings > Input Settings, choose each HDMI port and look for Full UHD Color, Enhanced 4K or something similar. Turn it on to unlock HDR, richer color and higher-bandwidth 4K. Three presses to actually get what you paid for.
Let Google Maps save gas: The fastest route isn’t always the cheapest. Open Settings > Navigation, turn on Prefer fuel-efficient routes, then tap Your vehicles and choose gas, diesel, hybrid or electric. Google Maps will favor roads with less stop-and-go, steep hills and hard acceleration. Those little savings add up.
Web traffic tanking: When you Google something now, the AI answer sits at the top and you never click through to the actual site. That's gutting the sites that wrote the answer. USA Today's Google traffic dropped nearly 50% in a year. Politico fell 23%, CNN 25%, Business Insider more than 85%. Now publishers are asking (paywall) if they should block Google entirely. Reddit's weighing it too. Our traffic is down a ton to Komando.com, fwiw.
Designated Disney scroller: Remember the unplugged family vacation? Not at Disneyland. To skip the long lines, families pay $30 to $40 a person for a pass called Lightning Lane. The catch: you only book one ride (paywall link) at a time. Use it, then book the next. So one parent spends the whole day staring at a phone, grabbing ride slots like it's a job, while everyone else rides Space Mountain. Happiest place on Earth, terms and conditions apply. Now you know.
Visit Kim Komando's website and subscribe to her newsletter here →
Editorial Use Only: Tada Images/Shutterstock.com.