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!
Make movies shorter: How come going to see a movie means I have to block four hours off my calendar? According to a new study, the perfect movie length for adults is 88 minutes, down from 92 in 2024. Hollywood’s summer menu is serving 119-minute fashion sequels and Christopher Nolan’s 172-minute The Odyssey. At that point, pack a diaper.
Forever, on hold: Bryan Johnson, the tech multimillionaire who spends around $2 million a year trying to live forever, got news money can’t outrun. He’s been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis, an incurable condition where his own stomach is basically eating itself. This is the guy who injects his son’s plasma and swallows 54 supplements a day. His response? He says he’ll “solve” the problem himself and share what he learns. You have to admire the confidence. I’ve had him on the show a few times. Click here to watch a short clip.
Ditch that alarm: Still waking up to that terrifying iPhone default sound? Use a song instead. Open Clock, create or edit an alarm, then tap Sound. Scroll up to Songs, hit Pick a song and choose something from your music library. Just maybe don’t pick your favorite, unless you want to hate it by Friday.
Turn photos into stickers: Your iPhone can turn family, friends and pets into stickers you can drop into chats. Open Photos, find a picture, then press and hold on the subject until it glows. Tap Add Sticker from the pop-up menu. In Messages, open a chat, hit +, then Stickers. Live Photos can become little animated ones, too.
3-second tech genius: iPhone has a secret multi-select gesture you’re not using. In Mail, take two fingers and swipe down the message list. It’ll select every email your fingers pass, ready to move, archive or delete. This trick also works in apps like Notes and Files. Two fingers, and your inbox clears out like it owes you money.
Gmail without Wi-Fi: Gmail can still work when the internet disappears. On desktop, open See all settings (top right), click the Offline tab and select Enable offline mail. You can read, search and draft replies without a connection. Anything you send waits, then goes out when you’re back online. I draft replies on flights, then they whoosh out at landing. Feels like cheating.
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Editorial Use Only. Editorial Credit: michelangeloop/Shutterstock.com.