It’s miles ahead: Toyota’s long-awaited solid-state battery is nearing production. It will go 745 miles on a single charge, tackling “range anxiety” once and for all. They’re also lighter and more compact than lithium-ion batteries, which means more legroom and cargo space. Finally.
AI window-washing robots make their U.S. debut in Dallas
🧽 Window washing 2.0: Cleaning high-rise windows is risky work, but a spider-like AI robot is about to change that. Named after those gravity-defying mountain goats, Ibex only needs a button press to get to work. It climbs buildings, using cameras and sensors to scan surfaces, dodge window frames and leave no spot untouched. The robots are already in Texas, so don’t be surprised if they pop up everywhere soon.
For only $11
You can get a can of air from beautiful Lake Como in Italy. Sellers think it’ll appeal to American tourists because, ya know, George Clooney bought a villa there years ago. Anyone want to buy a can of air off Camelback Mountain for $5?
50-plus years
Christmas classics “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman” are moving from CBS to NBC. “Frosty” will air on Dec. 5 at 8:30 p.m., and “Rudolph” will air on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. If you have cable, both will also be on Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” lineup starting on Dec. 7.
👽 Hold onto your tinfoil hat: The Pentagon’s former chief investigator leaked a new government program to scoop up alien tech if it’s ever shot down. He swears there’s zero evidence of alien spacecraft so far. Meanwhile, a UFO analyst and a missile expert both claim that not only has the U.S. recovered a craft, but they’ve even been inside one.
4,000,000 pounds
How many berries the world’s first indoor vertical farm will produce each year. The Richmond farm will do it all with 90% less water and 97% less land than conventional farming. You have to see the pics. It’s a berry good idea.
Left in the dark: A woman went in for a gynecological biopsy, and she wasn’t given any anesthetic. The pain was so intense, she fainted. She posted her experience online, and it’s going viral. I hope she files a complaint with her local medical board.
💿 Guess we’ll never see “Biggest Hits (Taylor’s Version)”: In the late ’90s, compilations were hot — The Beatles’ “1,” for instance, sold 7.69 million copies in just 12 months (paywall link). Now, vinyl and CD collections are novelty items for superfans. Open Spotify or Apple Music, and you’ve got instant playlists of any artist’s top tracks.
Speaking of Warren Buffett: He just bought a $185 million stake in the HEICO Corporation, an aerospace and electronics giant. The company makes products for spacecraft, defense equipment and telecommunication systems. Yep, it’s a direct SpaceX competitor.
🚨 China’s powering up: Hackers working for the Communist Chinese government have taken over thousands of TP-Link routers, plus cameras and other connected devices. They’re using all that computing power to attack Microsoft’s Azure cloud service. Most malware can’t survive a reboot, so it certainly won’t hurt to restart your router, whether it’s from TP-Link or another manufacturer.
130,000 feet
How far a Samsonite suitcase fell without taking any damage. The travel brand catapulted the suitcase through the atmosphere to demonstrate its strength, and they captured the whole thing on video.
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🎻 Keep calm and cello on: A Swedish composer put together a symphony with a robot cellist playing in sync with humans. But there’s good news: Afterward, the composer said, “It will be impossible to replace all human musicians with robots.” Watch the video here. It’s really something.
Many parents trust AI over doctors: Researchers asked parents to rate advice on topics like infant sleep and nutrition, and most found AI’s answers more reliable than actual health care pros. It’s always good to get a second opinion but remember — AI’s known to “hallucinate,” aka make crap up.
🎬 The Wookie’s cookie is a little Chewie: “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” drops on Disney+ on Dec. 3. Set during the same era as “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka,” the series follows a group of kids who discover a spaceship and embark on an adventure. It stars Jude Law as a Jedi and looks like a 1980s Steven Spielberg movie. Check out the final trailer.
Have an iPhone 14 Plus? There’s a problem with the rear cameras on phones manufactured between Apr. 10, 2023, and Apr. 28, 2024. Use this serial number checker to see if yours needs the free fix.
🩻 Elon Musk wants your medical images: Your X-rays, PET scans and MRIs will be used to train Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok. Grok will check if your doctor missed something, and submission of your medical images is free. I think Musk is brilliant, and maybe, one day, Grok will be something. For now, though, it’s a no for me. Who knows where those images end up?
🚨 FBI alert: Fake videos are all over social media! One video claims the FBI busted three groups for “ballot fraud,” while another drags in Kamala Harris’ husband. There’s even a phony clip with people supposedly from Haiti claiming to vote illegally in Georgia counties. These are designed to mess with our trust in elections, so keep an eye out and don’t fall for it!
Robot plays cello with Malmö Symphony Orchestra at concert
'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew' official trailer
🎬 The Wookie’s cookie is a little Chewie: “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” drops on Disney+ on Dec. 3. Set during the same era as “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka,” the series follows a group of kids who discover a spaceship and embark on an adventure. It stars Jude Law as a Jedi and looks like a 1980s Steven Spielberg movie. Check out the trailer.
🦑 Ready to play (again)? Netflix dropped an early Christmas gift — the trailer for Season Two of “Squid Game.” The first season was the most-watched series of all time on the platform. I liked it, despite all the blood. The new season drops on Dec. 26. How festive.