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Way easier than Photoshop: Have a ChatGPT account? You can now create two images a day for free with the DALL-E 3 generator. Use it for anything and everything: A meme, an image for a work presentation, a mockup of your next great invention — you name it.

It's official: Facebook censors your opinions

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Mark Zuckerberg is now apologizing for censoring conservative views during the pandemic. But the real shocker? He claims it was under pressure from the White House.

🚨 Book ‘em, Danno! The FBI caught a cyber kingpin who scammed millions of Americans. He’s behind notorious schemes like “scareware ads” — fake virus warnings that trick you into downloading software. He and his crew extorted around $400,000 a month from 2012 to 2014. Now they face decades in prison.

Kids shouldn't learn computer coding

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Coding was once hailed as essential for future careers, but AI advancements are quickly changing that. 

“He’s replaced me with ChatGPT”: A 25-year-old said her dad, a first-generation Chinese American, has replaced her with AI. Dad now uses AI instead of asking her for help translating, composing emails and keeping all his dad jokes in a dad-abase.

Now is not the time to upgrade your smartphone

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With Google’s new Pixel phones costing extra for AI features and Apple’s iPhone 16 soon to be released, it’s worth holding off a bit longer.

🚨 Wookie mistake: You’ve probably heard about the recent National Public Data breach, which exposed the deets of 2.9 billion people. Now, a sister site with access to the same consumer records as NPD accidentally published passwords in a publicly accessible file. Nutso. It was available until Aug. 19. If you haven’t yet, I strongly advise you to freeze your credit.

You’re SOL … if you bought movies through Redbox. The company filed for bankruptcy, closed down the big red kiosks, and now the app is gone, too. This is your friendly reminder that when you buy digital content, you’re buying the right to watch for now.

Lock your credit files immediately

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Another huge data breach — 2.9 billion records exposed, including Social Security numbers. Here are the quick steps you need to take right now to protect yourself.

Don’t throw your Bluetooth speaker in a lake; it’ll sync: Sonos rolled out a screwed-up app in May that’s missing basic features, and now speakers are turning off intermittently. They’re working on a fix that’ll cost a cool $20 million or more, but there’s no timeline yet. I’m sure it doesn’t help that they just laid off 100 people yesterday …

Bad Mickey: A woman with a severe​​ dairy and nut allergy died after eating at a Disney restaurant earlier this year, despite assurances her meal was safe. Now, Disney is asking a judge to throw out the case. Her husband signed up for Disney+ in 2019 and, in the terms, agreed to settle disputes out of court through arbitration. No kidding, it was just a free trial account.

Mental health help: The first FDA-approved app to treat depression is now available. Rejoyn offers a six-week program with brain-training exercises and short skill-based therapy lessons. You’ll need a prescription, which means you must be diagnosed with major depressive disorder, currently on antidepressants and at least 22 years old. More info here.

🥩 7 million pounds of meat recalled: A third person has died after eating listeria-contaminated Boar’s Head meats (deli, bacon, hot dogs and sausage) made between May 10 and July 29, 2024. Here’s a full list of recalled products you need to throw out right now. This version has label photos.

🐻 Moo-ve away: A new Instagram filter, Selfie Control, warns when you’re too close when taking pics of wild animals. Right now, it’s exclusive to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and comes preloaded with distance requirements for bison, bears and moose. I mean, really, if you need an app for this, you’re just an idiot.

Lost in space: Two astronauts who left Earth on an eight-day mission could be stuck in space until next year. They departed in June aboard the Boeing Starliner and are now docked at the ISS due to thruster problems. If their spacecraft can’t be repaired, NASA could let them catch a ride on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in February 2025.

See your neighborhood over time

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It’s pretty amazing to check out your old childhood home and see how it looks now. With Google Street View, it’s just a couple of clicks away.

Try and try again: If you’re a ChatGPT Plus subscriber, you can now edit images, too. Just click on an image to give follow-up instructions, like removing or adding objects. If the results stink, give some feedback and try again.

🖼️ Color me impressed: Mark Zuckerberg announced the other day Meta’s AI model will be open-sourced, unlike Google’s version or OpenAI. I’ve been playing with Meta AI’s image tools. Use the prompt, “Imagine a photo (cartoon, watercolor or whatever)” and what you want it to create. Now, there are six fingers on some hands and other anomalies, but for version 1.0, it’s darn good. Try it here.

📚 Spilling the tea: An upcoming book claims billionaire Bill Gates was like a “kid in a candy store” with interns — so much so that Microsoft banned them from being alone with him. Another hot rumor: Bill was allowed one weekend a year at his ex-girlfriend’s place while still married to his now ex-wife, Melinda. Gates’ reps say it’s all bologna from anonymous sources.