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Drumroll, please … It’s Temu. That’s two years in a row for the most downloaded free app. In second place is Meta’s Threads, followed by TikTok at No. 3. I know Temu is super cheap, but that comes with its own cost. Here’s why I’d never buy the toys there for the kiddos in my life.
The drones hovering over New Jersey fly lower than commercial planes, a few thousand feet up, and produce a slight electric hum. Most are two to three feet long, but some are the size of an SUV.
The internet is bursting with conspiracy theories. Are they military tech? Foreign surveillance? Something not of this world?
🚨 North Korean hackers are targeting Macs: It starts with an email containing a fake crypto news headline (e.g., “Hidden Risk Behind New Surge of Bitcoin Price”) and includes a link, supposedly to a PDF. The link actually leads to a malicious app that lets the sender take control of your system. If you’ve clicked on a random PDF link recently, scan for malware ASAP. I use TotalAV.
Brave new world: U.K. police are testing a facial recognition phone app that lets officers identify people walking down the street. Some communities put up signs as a warning. This tech is worldwide; American police searched Clearview AI’s facial database 2 million times in New York City and Dallas this year.
Stalkerware is up 239%: Apps like mSpy and Life360 market themselves as ways to track your kids. Abusers use them to see everywhere their partner goes. This is no small problem; 85% of domestic violence survivors have experienced digital abuse. Need help? Here’s my guide to protecting yourself.
🛑 Help during a bus driver shortage: School districts around the country are cutting bus routes big time. About 36% of students took a bus in 2017, but now, it’s only 28%. If you’re having trouble getting the kids to school, check out ride-hailing apps like the PiggyBack Network and HopSkipDrive.
An offer you should refuse: “Gamified” job scams start with a random text or WhatsApp message asking you to do online tasks for money. You might even see some profits before they ask you for money, promising big returns. This trick made up almost 40% of job scam reports this year, with $41 million lost in just the first half of 2024. Oof.
😡 In corporate speak, it’s “rightsizing”: A 60-year-old GM worker was laid off after nearly four decades with the company. The shocking news came via an email sent at 5:07 a.m. last Friday as part of a global mass layoff. Stunned, he shared his story on LinkedIn, and it’s since gone viral, with one video racking up over 1.6 million views. So sad how little loyalty means to some companies.
Now we’re talking! If you make YouTube videos, you’ll soon be able to earn more money. They’re rolling out an auto-dubbing tool that translates English videos into eight languages. Right now, only creators who focus on educational content can use it. The rest of us will have it in a few months. I can’t wait to try it!
20 years in the making: Doctors are using a new treatment called histotripsy to fight certain cancer cells. It works by sending ultrasound waves to a precise point, rupturing the cells and killing them instantly. The best part? There’s no incision required, and, unlike radiation, it doesn’t harm the surrounding tissue. The results are promising — two months after treatment, one man’s liver remains cancer-free.
🧬 Gene-ius: 23andMe is in freefall, and the genetic data of its 15 million customers might soon be up for grabs. Imagine insurers using your DNA to hike premiums or advertisers exploiting it for targeted ads without your consent. The kicker: It’s all legal. U.S. courts treat biological samples as corporate property, meaning companies can indeed sell them. If you haven’t already, delete your 23andMe account ASAP. Steps here.
