Social media account hacking is on fire … not in a good way. Account hijacking has grown by as much as 1,000% annually in the last few years, with celebrities and politicians so mad about it they’re starting to sue.

The chances of your Instagram, X, Facebook or other account (even Spotify!) getting taken over by spammy bots and data-stealing thieves have never been higher. So don’t sit there all smug thinking, “Oh Kim, that could never happen to little ol’ me!”

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When you’re not unwinding with me and my shows, turn to music to chill. Spotify just released its list of most relaxing songs based on 76,000 tracks. Find out if your favorites made the list and learn how to use music to re-tune your mood.

Ed Sheeran has the chillest fans …

… when it comes to relaxing tunes, the redheaded crooner snagged two of the top five spots:

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Sometimes, you listen to a podcast that’s too good to keep to yourself. We know the feeling, which is why we write guides to some fantastic shows you can’t miss out on. Tap or click here to listen to seven great podcasts that help you weed out misinformation online.

Say you listen to the Kim Komando Explains show, which breaks down complicated tech topics from the deathcare industry all the way to AI in Hollywood. If you want to leave a review, you may wonder where to begin. After all, podcast streaming services don’t exactly make it easy.

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Just like food, music is best enjoyed with other people. That’s why playlists are such a great way to connect with others. You can bond over your favorite songs and even develop your skills as a disc jockey.

When you’re trying to put together the perfect playlist, you might forget a specific song’s name. Luckily, you can just hum a few bars of the melody and let tech do the rest. That’s right: Google lets you search for music by humming — and you don’t have to be a good singer for it to work.

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Apple Music grew in popularity when programs like Napster were making paying for music less than favorable. Since then, no other music platform has been able to beat them out. That is until Spotify entered the market.

Spotify has grown in size and expanded its offerings over the last few years, and today it rivals Apple Music in many ways. This begs the question, which is better? Spotify or Apple Music? Looking for a place to store your music? Tap or click here to set up your own music server in a few easy steps.

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Visiting a website, most of us automatically assume it’s the real deal. Nice logos, professional page design, and well-written descriptions talk up the product and welcome you around the site.

When a site presents itself well, we turn off the warning bells in our head — even when they should be blaring. Some cybercriminals are so crafty that it can be almost impossible to tell a fake site from the real one. After all, their plan is to trick you into downloading malware thinking that it comes from the original company. Suspect your computer is infected? Tap or click for a few ways to confirm that.

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If you were a Google Play Music subscriber, it’s time to say your goodbyes. The company announced Google Play Music is ending and will be transitioned over to YouTube Music. If you’re confused about how this change will work and exactly how YouTube Music works, we’ve got answers!

Looking for the best free music streaming apps? Tap or click here for the best free sites and apps to stream music with.

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As an Android user, you have access to a ton of different third-party apps to choose from. The open platform for Android makes it simple for developers to upload apps to the Google Play Store, which gives you an impressively wide range of choices.

You’ll find apps that will help you stream music, listen to podcasts, get organized, keep track of appointments, use your phone as a work device and there are plenty of entertainment options, too. Tap or click here for must-have Android apps you’ll use again and again.

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Spotify is one of the biggest names in music streaming services. It’s both easy to use and works across all devices. Like its competitors, Spotify offers a few subscription options, free or premium.

Both choices come with an extensive library of podcasts, videos, and audiobooks, along with customized playlists just for you. Not sure which streaming service is best for you? Tap or click for our streaming music comparison.

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Each week, I receive tons of questions from my listeners about tech concerns, new products and all things digital.

Sometimes, choosing the most interesting questions to highlight is the best part of my job. This week, I received questions about coronavirus news on Twitter, making money on Spotify, finding free copies of Microsoft Office and more.

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Years ago, many artists were skeptical about making the transition from analog to digital music. Nobody was sure how anyone could make a profit from downloads, and particular attention was paid to the threat of music piracy.

But jump ahead to 2020 and you’ll see that not only is digital music thriving, it’s effectively replaced physical media in much of the world. Tap or click to see which streaming music service is right for your device.

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Tech companies are fighting for your loyalty, and they’re using a tried-and-true tactic to lure in new customers: free stuff.

Yes, there’s almost always a catch — but for these freebies, the reward is worth it if you qualify. Tap or click here for our readers’ most-searched freebies: Alternatives to expensive software like Microsoft Office, Photoshop and InDesign.

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The way we listen to music has changed drastically over the years. Vinyl records, 8-track tapes, cassette tapes and CDs are some of the platforms that have come and gone. Speaking of vinyl, you might want to check out your collection as these records are worth big money.

While some are holding on to their favorite CDs for dear life, most of us have cleared up space by getting rid of them. Now, we’ve moved onto streaming services like Spotify or Pandora.

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Streaming services have changed the way we view our favorite shows. No longer are we tethered to a standard TV set with a cable box. This freedom to watch programming anywhere has provided us the chance to ‘share’ our subscriptions with family and friends. Who doesn’t love to share? Even the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings, welcomes password sharing.

While most people stick to the rules when it comes to their streaming service accounts, some crooks don’t play by the book and are out to steal your service. They typically hack your account to watch content for free. However, there are reports of unauthorized users taking this practice to another level by locking subscribers out of their own accounts.

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Have you discovered Spotify yet? It’s a popular web service that lets you listen to more than 30 million songs on your computer, on your smartphone, or on your tablet. You can also listen to podcasts on Spotify.

With a free Spotify account, you can listen to songs or shuffle throughout certain albums from specific artists. It is free to sign up, though you will be subjected to some advertising.

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There are two types of steaming gadgets: set-top boxes and HDMI sticks. HDMI sticks are the size of USB drives and plug right into your TV’s HDMI port. That means less clutter in your entertainment center and they’re also cheaper.

(Bonus: Need more help choosing the best video streaming option? We have other helpful charts that will help you make an informed decision. Click here to see the chart comparing streaming media player boxes, and here for a comparison of streaming service channel lineups.)

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Amazon may have had a head start with the Amazon Echo but with the launch of the Google Home, Apple HomePod and Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Home, the other tech giants are quickly catching up.

Click here to read more about the Amazon Echo vs. Google Home.

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Easily the best thing about smartphones is the fact they are basically miniature computers. Sure they can call and text like you would expect a phone to do, but they can also help with email, calendars, navigation and, well, you can get any information you need right at your fingertips.

Because when you think about it, there are few limits on what a phone can actually do. If a developer can create it, we could use it.

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As much as we would like to think we are on top of our credit card bills, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us probably do not pay as much attention as we should. Sure we check our statement and see how much money we owe, but going line by line, purchase by purchase, is arduous and something we just don’t have time for.

While this likely is not a problem for most people, the lack of attention paid to our bills is something people try to take advantage of. That’s the idea behind one of the newest scams, which preys on our trusting nature when it comes to the credit card bill.

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