Technology
3 tech musts before your next trip
I love to travel. I love tech. As I write this at the Four Seasons Hotel in Kyoto, Japan, I have come to rely on a few tricks I bet you’ll find handy, too.
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Get your docs in a row
By now, you probably have all the apps you need — airline, customs, rideshare, maps, train tickets, translations, and more. Now make a “just in case” folder if you somehow lose your wallet or break your phone. Hey, crazier things happen. Make sure it’s saved somewhere you can access from any device, like your tablet or laptop.
I’M GIVING YOUR COMPUTER A QUICK SPEED UPGRADE
Scan your driver’s license, passport, TSA or Global ID, and health insurance card at minimum.
On an iPhone, the Notes app is my go-to. Bonus: It’s built-in and saves notes to the cloud.
- Open the Notes app.
- Click the icon that looks like a square with a pen located at the bottom right of the screen to make a new note.
- Tap the camera icon at the bottom of your new note and select Scan Documents.
(Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
On an Android, try the scan feature in Google Drive:
- Open the Google Drive app.
- Tap the plus button in the bottom right corner.
- Tap Scan and allow access to your camera if you have not already.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to take and save your photos.
Go the extra mile and save a copy of all this as a PDF. Add that to your ebook app or even send it to your Kindle so you can access it offline. I also keep records of my flights, where I’m staying and reservation details in a Google doc.
1-MINUTE TECH CHANGES FOR MORE PRIVACY
Set your inbox to “see ya” mode
About 40% of us (including me) answer emails on vacation. If you can, turn off all email notifications or even disable your email accounts on your phone. Put an out-of-office reply on your email. The trick, though, is to keep things simple. So many people say way too much and it just ends up annoying their contacts.
Make it simple. Here’s a template:
“I’m not in the office. I will reply to your message when I return on (this date). And if this is an urgent matter, contact (this person) at (phone number) and (email address).” Give yourself a day or two on that date, by the way. You’ll need catch-up time.
Make sure you have a safe way to charge
Juice jacking is the term for a scary yet clever con. With a quick cord change, someone can turn a public charging station into a way to silently worm their way into your phone.
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Why? Money and data, of course. The idea is to upload malware to your devices — then, they ransom your phone or steal your passwords.
For 100% protection, stay away from all USB ports, especially overseas where these attacks are more likely. Hackers can target popular hotel room USB ports to steal data, even if you’re not using a kiosk. Pro tip: There’s usually a slot for a USB cable on the back of the TV. That’s a safer pick.
Wireless charging stations are fine to use, but your best bet is to carry a charger and power bank with you.
If you’re desperate, you can use a USB connection safely with the right cable. You have to plan ahead and pack a charge-only cable for your trip. They’re cheap, compact and don’t allow for data transfer.
(Photo by STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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.
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Amid public backlash over its smart glasses, Meta announced that it will be updating its glasses with a new feature that will disable the camera when it detects that someone has tampered with or destroyed the glasses’ privacy LED light. The update is meant to address modders who have taken actions such as physically drilling into the LED light.
Meta has previously tried to discourage tampering with the LED light. For example, starting with its second generation glasses, blocking the light with tape or other objects will trigger a prompt asking users to uncover the recording light. However, many modders have found various workarounds for that particular measure.
Meta’s VP of wearables Alex Himel told The Verge that the privacy-focused update was on the way a few weeks ago after launching cheaper Meta Glasses without Ray-Ban branding. At the time, Himel acknowledged that the company was aware of increasing misuse alongside wider adoption of the devices.
Technology
Discord accidentally banned over 8,000 people for posting grids and other ‘benign’ images
Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord co-founder and chief technology officer, writes that the bug impacted around 200 users who posted “grid-like” pictures, in addition to about 8,000 people who posted “other benign images” since May 2026. “Everyone affected has now been unbanned,” Vishnevskiy says.
In a thread on X, Discord writes that its safety system is designed to flag content by “matching it against known harmful material.” This system can produce “false positives,” Discord explains, which is when an employee would step in to review the flagged content. But instead of just temporarily preventing the account from uploading content during the review, a glitch led its system to ban users entirely.
“When our staff reviewed and cleared those accounts, the same bug prevented the ban from being lifted automatically, so it just stayed in place,” Discord says.
If your Prime Day purchases included a new desk, TV stand, bookshelf, or other furniture you still haven’t assembled, Hoto’s PixelDrive cordless screwdriver can help speed up the process. It’s currently on sale for $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, matching its best price to date.
From tightening loose screws on furniture to repairing electronics, the PixelDrive is designed to handle a wide range of household projects. Hoto includes 30 screwdriver bits that cover many of the most common screw types, all neatly organized in a small cylindrical case. It also offers six adjustable torque settings, allowing you to use less power when working with fragile electronics or increase it when putting together a desk, bookshelf, TV stand, or other furniture. You can also switch between a slower 80RPM mode for more precise work and a faster 200RPM mode with the press of a button.
Hoto also added several features that make assembling projects a little easier. A built-in display lets you quickly check your current torque setting and remaining battery life, while an integrated LED light helps illuminate dim spaces, whether you’re working under a desk or inside a cabinet. The rechargeable 2,000mAh battery also charges over USB-C, so you won’t need to keep buying disposable batteries.
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