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Breaking news and tips
Meetings now come with surveillance
It doesn’t bother me anymore, but it used to. Maybe it’s happened to you. You’re in a Zoom call, wearing pajama bottoms, and someone casually says, “Oh, my AI assistant is taking notes of everything everyone is saying.”
Wait, what?! There’s a digital stenographer silently documenting every sigh, awkward pause and half-baked idea you mutter?
AI meeting assistants like Otter.ai, Fireflies, Notion and others are the new must-have workplace tool. They can:
- Transcribe every word, so you can focus instead of frantically typing.
- Summarize key points, so you don’t have to rewatch the whole meeting.
- Highlight decisions and deadlines, so you know what matters.
- Assign tasks automatically based on what’s said. No more “Who was supposed to do that?”
- Even integrate with your apps like Slack, Trello or email to keep the ball rolling.
Super helpful, right? But just because you can bring AI into the boardroom doesn’t mean you always should.
🤖 Rule #1: Be up front
If AI is eavesdropping, slip in a casual, “Hey, I’ve got AI taking notes.” Be cool about it. Don’t drop it like a Bond villain mid-meeting: “Ah yes, my transcription robot is always listening.”
📩 Rule #2: Offer the summary
Want to be everyone’s favorite? Share the AI-generated recap.
People love walking away from a meeting with clear notes, even if they were only half-paying attention (you know who you are). Sharing = good karma.
🛑 Rule #3: Respect boundaries
If someone isn’t comfortable being recorded or transcribed, don’t push. Hit pause on the AI. Forcing it makes you look tone-deaf and can even lead to people opting out of the meeting entirely.
There’s a mat for that
🙈 No matter the surface, I’ve got you covered (literally).
- Keep that dirt outside with an all-season doormat (8% off).
- Slippery shower? This bathtub mat (25% off) sticks in place.
- An under-sink mat (15% off) catches any pesky leaks and spills.
- These baking mats (23% off) are oven-safe and reusable.
- Adulting looks like vinyl place mats (5% off) on your table.
⚡ Power up: This mouse pad (20% off) wirelessly charges your tech while you work. No juggling cables.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Loneliness? There’s an AI for that
Zuckerberg might be onto something … and it’s not just world domination this time.
A listener wrote to me recently, and I haven’t stopped thinking about his story. This man has been married to his wife for 56 years. She now has dementia and no longer remembers him, their children or their lifetime of memories. So what did he do?
Chromebook lagging? Press Search + Escape to open the Task Manager. You’ll see a list of apps, browser tabs and extensions. Look for anything using a lot of memory or CPU (processing power). If something stands out, click it and select End Process to force it to close.
Big Tech are email snoops: Gmail, Yahoo and all those other Big Tech companies track your email activity. StartMail puts privacy first! No ads, no tracking, includes encrypted emails and disposable addresses. Get 60% off your first year, and try it free for seven days.
OpenAI’s new everything device
OpenAI and Apple design legend Johnny Ive are building something big. Will it replace your iPhone?
1.2 million
Extra fast-food visits happen in LA County each year. Why? Sitting in traffic makes people way more likely to hit the drive-thru than the grocery store. Makes sense when the average American spends 37 minutes prepping food, and fast food takes under five. So much for that salad plan.
🖥️ Clear taskbar clutter on Windows 11: You can remove most apps by right-clicking them and choosing Unpin from taskbar. But some, like Widgets and Chat, need extra steps. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and toggle them off under Taskbar items. Finally, room for the stuff you actually use.
New ways to spot an affair
Is your spouse glued to their phone all of a sudden? Modern cheaters have more ways to cover their tracks.
🏃🏼♂️ Fake it ’til you jog it: There’s now an app called Fake My Run that lets you draw made-up jogging routes and upload them to Strava like you’re a cardio god. Inspired by “Strava mules” (yes, people pay others to run for them), the app’s developer says it’s a comment on running’s toxic clout-chasing culture. I was running down the street where the houses were numbered, 64k, 128k, 256k, 512k and 1MB. What a trip down memory lane!
Savings are served
🔥 For when your kitchen’s sizzling and your storage is chill.
- BBQ your favorites anywhere with an indoor/outdoor grill ($100).
- Roll out a warming tray (10% off) to keep your dinner toasty.
- These paper air fryer liners (19% off) make cleaning up a breeze.
- Spin this turntable (23% off) to easily find what’s in your fridge.
- Grab a pack of silicone trays ($37) to save your leftovers for later.
🐶 Treats with benefits: A bag of 12-in-1 chewable multivitamins ($20) supports your pup’s joints, gut and more.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Crypto kidnapping: What really happened
A Manhattan crypto investor allegedly kidnapped and tortured an Italian man for his Bitcoin. Lesson: If you own crypto, zip it. Plus, jobs AI might wipe out, what’s next from Apple, and is your Amazon Echo always listening?
40-foot submarine-hunting drone
The “BlueWhale” uses special sensors to spot underwater and surface threats, and can help clear mines. The cool bit? It’s fully autonomous and runs on batteries for weeks. Basically, a Roomba’s scarier cousin with serious military vibes.
🐶 Puppies vs. cancer: A biotech company is developing a home test to detect cancer using specially trained dogs and AI. You breathe into a mask for three minutes, mail it back and the pups sniff for signs of cancer while AI tracks their reactions. Does it work? Clinical trials showed 94% accuracy. They ain’t woofin’ around.
Fix cramped handwriting on iPad: Used your Apple Pencil and wrote your words too close together? No need to erase. Just tap and hold between the words with your Pencil. When the vertical line appears, drag to space them out as much as you want. Quick, easy and no do-overs needed.
23andMe sold your DNA. Can you stop it? — May 24th, Hour 1
Your DNA, your family tree, your most personal data … now in the hands of Big Pharma. Also this hour: Meta refuses to stop scam ads, AI clones, and the viral “invisible phone.” Plus, Anthony from Spokane says someone hacked the neighborhood security cameras.
Tools of the trade
💼 Here’s your go-to gear to stay on track while you work.
- A comfy under-desk footrest ($28) lifts both your legs and mood.
- Typing all day? These soft pads ($20) make every click easier.
- Stay neat with a valet tray (11% off) that has a built-in charger.
- Jot down all your great ideas on some clear sticky notes ($9).
- One USB port isn’t enough. Get four with this hub (57% off).
⌚ Dead smartwatch, again? Clip on a key chain charger (23% off) that works for both Apple and Android.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🥦 Struggling with meal planning? You don’t have to keep guessing what to buy every week. Try prompting ChatGPT with something like, “Plan a week of simple, healthy meals I can actually cook, and make a grocery list with the exact ingredients.” You can take it a step further by also asking it to stay within your budget or avoid foods you don’t like. Amazing.
🗣️ Claude found its voice: Claude Free just leveled up with two new features: voice mode and web search. Now you can talk to Claude like it’s your AI roommate: Ask it to summarize your day, fetch docs, even send emails. And yes, it finally joined the “can Google stuff” club. Bonus: All this without paying a cent; well, you are paying with your data.