Technology
Five smart, simple tech changes to make 2024 better
New year, same you. And that’s OK! You don’t need to makeover your entire life to have a good 2024.
But I can tell you firsthand it’s totally worth it to spend a few minutes cleaning up your tech life. Keep reading for steps to banish junk mail, make your phone less annoying and improve your cybersecurity. You got this!
I share tips like this every day in my free newsletter, The Current. Join 500K smart people who read it. You’ll be glad you did!
TWO MINUTE TECH TRICKS: START THE YEAR WITH A CLEAN INBOX
1. Automate a no-brainer security step
You forget to lock your computer when you get up. Welcome to the club. Be smart and tell your Windows or Mac to do it for you! You can set your computer to auto-lock if you’ve been inactive for a certain amount of time.
On Windows:
- Open Settings and go to Personalization, then Lock Screen.
- Click Screen saver settings and select any option (except “None”) from the Screen saver dropdown menu.
- Set a time for Windows to wait before locking. Check the box for On resume, display logon screen. Hit OK.
On a Mac:
- Click the Apple menu > System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Save > Screen Saver. Use the slider to choose a time.
- Click Show All to go back to the main System Preferences window.
- Click Security, then Require password to wake this computer from sleep or screen saver.
Man looks onto his computer (Cyberguy.com)
You can also set up your PC to lock based on where your phone is. Think about it: If your phone’s nearby, so are you — and so your computer stays open. You walk away, it locks.
2. Say goodbye to group chats that drive you up the wall
Group chats are fun when you’re happy to be there and awful when you don’t care about the convo. The adult move is to ask whoever added you to remove you …
- Or do the ol’ Irish exit if you have an iPhone. Tap the thread, then select the group icon at the top. Scroll and tap Leave this Conversation. Save this for when you’re desperate.
- You can also go the subtle route and mute the convo. (This is what I usually do.) Tap the group text message, select the group icon at the top of the thread, then scroll and toggle on Hide Alerts.
YOUR SMART ASSISTANT IS LISTENING, BUT DOES THAT IMPACT THE ADS YOU SEE?
On Android, muting is your best option — unless you’re up to telling Aunt Kathy you’re out.
- If you use Google Messages, open the group text, then tap the three-dot menu > Group Details > Notifications. Select Silent. Ahh, better.
- For other Android apps, look through your messaging menu options for an option to mute the conversation.
3. Fix the home security mistake even I was making
Back in the day, I turned off all my home security alerts because they were annoying — bad move. What you want to do is adjust your camera’s sensitivity (or upgrade to better cams) if yours are always going off accidentally.
Ring cameras are used by most people to capture footage around their homes. (CyberGuy.com)
You can usually find controls to adjust motion sensitivity in your security system app. Systems go by different names, so I’ll cover the steps for two.
Adjust your camera sensitivity with SimpliSafe
- Open the SimpliSafe app and tap Cameras at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the gear icon at the top right of the screen.
- Choose the camera you would like to change.
- Choose Motion Detection and make your adjustments to the sensitivity.
FIVE DUMB TECH SECURITY MISTAKES YOU’RE MAKING
Adjust your camera sensitivity with Ring
- Open the Ring app and tap the gear icon for a camera.
- Tap Motion Settings > Motion Sensitivity. Adjust the slider.
4. Organize your cords and cables the way pros do
When everything’s jumbled up, it’s impossible to tell what goes where. Try this super-smart trick.
- Get some stickers. These can be labels you write on or color-coded dots. One of my readers, Tony, suggests using colored foil stars.
- Create a system that works for you. Write on the labels or use colors to represent the cord type (e.g., red for USB-C, blue for HDMI).
- Affix the same label or colored sticker to the cable and the port on the device. When you plug in the cord, simply match the cable’s sticker to the port.
- Place the sticker in the same position on each cable. Try putting it on the top of the cord to quickly find the correct orientation into the port.
5. Less junk mail to deal with
Is your mailbox overflowing with unsolicited credit card and insurance offers? You can thank the big four credit reporting bureaus: Experian, Equifax, TransUnion and Innovis.
Closeup of two modern black and brown metal red flag mailboxes at single family home in residential suburbs with nobody and house in background (iStock)
Each bureau provides lists of consumers, based on specific criteria, to credit and insurance companies for prescreened offers. Yes, it’s completely legal. But don’t worry, there’s a solution: Opt Out Prescreen, a tool developed by these very credit bureaus.
- Visit optoutprescreen.com. You can choose to opt out for five years or forever, then fill in the form.
- Opting out permanently? You’ll have to use snail mail, but it’s worth it. Print, sign and mail a confirmation form.
Keep your tech-know going
My popular podcast is called “Kim Komando Today.” It’s a solid 30 minutes of tech news, tips, and callers with tech questions like you from all over the country. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. For your convenience, hit the link below for a recent episode.
PODCAST PICK: Billionaire doomsday preppers, p*rn copyright trolls & nasty Amazon scam
Plus, my 2024 tech resolutions and ways to have AI help you craft yours. California bans this ultra-weird product from Amazon — and yes, it involves donkeys. Peloton tablet goes obsolete, and I’ve got five tech road trip tips.
Check out my podcast “Kim Komando Today” on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player.
Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, “Komando.”
Sound like a tech pro, even if you’re not! Award-winning popular host Kim Komando is your secret weapon. Listen on 425+ radio stations or get the podcast. And join over 400,000 people who get her free 5-minute daily email newsletter.
Copyright 2024, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.
Technology
Bill Gates says accusations contained in Epstein files are ‘absolutely absurd’
Reports of Bill Gates’ connections with Jeffrey Epstein grow more lurid with each dump of documents from the Department of Justice. The latest includes somewhat confusing emails that Epstein may have been drafting on behalf of someone named Boris, who worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The messages claim that Bill contracted an STD and wanted to “surreptitiously” give Melinda antibiotics. It also claims that Bill had “trysts” with married women and “Russian girls.”
“These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false. The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.”
It’s unclear who the Boris referenced in the emails is, or if the messages were ever sent to anyone. Only Epstein is listed in the to and from fields.
Gates’ relationship with Epstein has become a major issue for the billionaire philanthropist. He initially downplayed his connections, but documents have suggested the two were closer than Gates admitted. He has repeatedly denied associating with Epstein outside of fundraising and philanthropic efforts and said their meetings were a “huge mistake.” However, Melinda Gates has stated that Bill’s association with Epstein played a role in her decision to file for divorce.
Technology
AI wearable helps stroke survivors speak again
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Losing the ability to speak clearly after a stroke can feel devastating. For many survivors, the words are still there in their minds, but their bodies will not cooperate. Speech becomes slow, unclear or fragmented. This condition, known as dysarthria, affects nearly half of all stroke survivors and can make everyday communication exhausting. Now, researchers believe they may have found a better way forward. Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a wearable device called Revoice. It is designed to help people with post-stroke speech impairment communicate naturally again without surgery or brain implants.
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FULLY IMPLANTABLE BRAIN CHIP AIMS TO RESTORE REAL SPEECH
A soft, flexible choker like this houses Revoice’s sensors, which read subtle throat vibrations to help reconstruct speech in real time. (University of Cambridge)
Why dysarthria makes recovery so hard
Dysarthria is a physical speech disorder. A stroke can weaken the muscles in the face, mouth and vocal cords. As a result, speech may sound slurred, slow or incomplete. Many people can only say a few words at a time, even though they know exactly what they want to say. According to professor Luigi Occhipinti, that disconnect creates deep frustration. Stroke survivors often work with speech therapists using repetitive drills. These exercises help over time, but open-ended conversation remains difficult. Recovery can take months or even longer, which leaves patients struggling during daily interactions with family, caregivers and doctors.
How the Revoice device works
Revoice takes a very different approach. Instead of asking users to type, track their eyes or rely on implants, the device reads subtle physical signals from the throat and neck. It looks like a soft, flexible choker made from breathable, washable fabric. Inside are ultra-sensitive textile strain sensors and a small wireless circuit board. When a user silently mouths words, the sensors detect tiny vibrations in the throat muscles. At the same time, the device measures pulse signals in the neck to estimate emotional state.
Those signals are processed by two artificial intelligence (AI) agents:
- One reconstructs words from mouthed speech
- The other interprets emotion and context to build complete sentences
Together, they allow Revoice to turn a few mouthed words into fluent speech in real time.
ELON MUSK SHARES PLAN TO MASS-PRODUCE BRAIN IMPLANTS FOR PARALYSIS, NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE
This diagram shows how Revoice combines throat muscle signals and pulse data with AI to turn silently mouthed words into full, expressive sentences in real time. (University of Cambridge)
Why this AI approach is different
Earlier silent speech systems had serious limits. Many were tested only on healthy volunteers. Others forced users to pause for several seconds between words, which made the conversation feel unnatural. Revoice avoids those delays. It uses an AI-driven throat sensor system paired with a lightweight language model. Because the model runs efficiently, it uses very little power and delivers near-instant responses. The device is powered by a 1,800 mWh battery, which researchers expect will last a full day on a single charge.
What early trials revealed
After refining the system with healthy participants, researchers tested Revoice with five stroke patients who had dysarthria.
The results were striking:
- Word error rate: 4.2%
- Sentence error rate: 2.9%
In one example, a patient mouthed the phrase “We go hospital.” Revoice expanded it into a complete sentence that reflected urgency and frustration, based on emotional signals and context. Participants reported a 55% increase in satisfaction and said the device helped them communicate as fluently as they did before their stroke.
PARALYZED MAN WALKS AGAIN AFTER EXPERIMENTAL DRUG TRIAL TRIGGERS REMARKABLE RECOVERY
This figure breaks down the Revoice hardware and AI pipeline, showing how strain sensors, wireless electronics, and emotion decoding work together to reconstruct natural speech. (University of Cambridge)
Beyond stroke recovery
Researchers believe Revoice could also help people with Parkinson’s disease and motor neuron disease. Because the device is comfortable, washable, and designed for daily wear, it could fit into real-world routines rather than being confined to clinics. Before that can happen, larger clinical trials are required. The research team plans to begin broader studies with native English-speaking patients and hopes to expand the system to support multiple languages and a wider range of emotional expressions. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.
What this means for you
If you or someone you care for has experienced a stroke, this research points to a major shift in recovery tools. Revoice suggests that speech assistance does not need to be invasive to be effective. A wearable solution could support communication during the most difficult months of rehabilitation, when confidence and independence often suffer the most. It may also reduce stress for caregivers who struggle to understand incomplete or unclear speech. Clear communication can improve medical care, emotional well-being and daily decision-making.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Communication is tied closely to dignity and independence. For stroke survivors, losing that ability can be one of the hardest parts of recovery. Revoice shows how artificial intelligence and wearable tech can work together to restore something deeply human. While it is still early, this device represents a meaningful step toward making recovery feel less isolating and more hopeful.
If a simple wearable could help restore natural speech, should it become a standard part of stroke rehabilitation? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Technology
Nvidia CEO denies he’s ‘unhappy’ with OpenAI
“We are going to make a huge investment in OpenAI. I believe in OpenAI, the work that they do is incredible, they are one of the most consequential companies of our time and I really love working with Sam,” he said, referring to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
“Sam is closing the round (of investment) and we will absolutely be involved,” Huang added. “We will invest a great deal of money, probably the largest investment we’ve ever made.”
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