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WTH do I do now? Jim in Philly wrote to me because he downloaded an app that totally screwed up his phone — random ads everywhere. Sorry, Jim, but you need to do a full factory reset. It’s a royal pain in the rear, I know, but it’s the only way to ensure your phone is clear from adware and malware. After that, do like I do and get a solid AV software on your phone.

Ex-con man Frank Abagnale on AI

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He’s one of the most famous imposters ever. Now, he says, artificial intelligence is going to bring on a whole new wave of scams. Plus, a dangerous selfie fail, social media sperm donors, and robberies on Facebook Marketplace.

🚀 Out of this world: At 90 years old, Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate, finally made it to space. He blasted off on May 19 in Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. Dwight made headlines during his flight training in the ‘60s, but he was never selected by NASA. Now, 60 years later, he’s back in the history books as the oldest person to leave the earth’s atmosphere. I love this!

Trivia

San Francisco and Palo Alto used to be the nation’s top destinations for tech talent seeking big checks. But other U.S. cities are catching up. Which has the fastest-growing salaries in tech today? Is it … A.) Baltimore, B.) Austin, C.) Columbus or D.) San Antonio?

Find the answer here!

15 minutes

The time it takes to grow diamonds in a lab with new tech. For now, the diamonds from this high-pressure process are too tiny to set (even for earrings). But pretty soon, you could have a 90-minute ring for your 90-day fiancé.

🏠 Pro moving tip: Never pack the bottle opener … You can now buy a tiny home on Amazon that comes complete with doors, windows and even bathroom fixtures. What a time to be alive. Here’s one for $26,000!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

We’re gonna need a pencil over here: Gen Z, who’s now obsessed with all things nostalgic, is bringing back the cassette tape. To play those tapes, new, snazzy portable cassette players are hitting the streets. Break out your tape collection and snag one. Here’s a cheap option, a middle-of-the-road option and a high-end pick.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Three strikes and you’re out: There are three important high-income skills (paywall link) an AI chatbot can’t replicate: Problem-solving, personal branding and communication. This is your reminder that these skills are where you need to shine to keep AI from taking over your career … for now.

Affordable, quality tech: You don’t have to spend $200 or more for high-quality earbuds. Raycons have studio-quality sound, noise cancellation, 32 hours of battery life, and they fit comfortably in every ear with precise fittings. They also pair with two devices so you can share them. Grab ‘em for 20% off (and free shipping!) right now at BuyRaycon.com/kim.

🤦🏼‍♀️ Heads-up, news hounds: Gone are the days of Googling a news story and picking your preferred news outlet to read it. Google’s AI will now read all news stories for you and give you one version it creates, complete with its own biases. Yup, Google’s AI once told me it couldn’t provide me with a Bible verse I’d requested because it was “controversial and against its policies.”

Secret customer service numbers: Head to this site to find the correct number to call. They list everything from airlines to theme parks to electronics. Let me tell you, you need to bookmark that website right now. Here are 15 more handy sites I’ve rounded up.

⚙️ Shifting gears: Mercedes is scrapping the entire division that was working on a 750-mile range EV. They’re still making EVs, but they’re not selling well. You can snag one at a darn good price right now. Oh, and Hertz is dumping 30,000 of its Teslas, if you’re looking for a deal on one of those.

Google Search is changing

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Web traffic is dying, and now Google is putting AI answers at the top of its search results. What does this mean for your favorite websites? Plus, Uber’s new shuttle service, Tesla drivers ditch self-driving mode, and Jeff Bezos’ email etiquette.

$25 million

How much cryptocurrency MIT-educated brothers swiped in just 12 seconds. Clever, except Anton, 24, and James, 28, just got arrested for their 2023 ethereum heist. They studied computer science and math. Now they’ll have plenty of time to calculate the years they could spend in jail.

Free AI test drive: Nothing has changed our lives quite like AI has — and will. That’s why you need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Take a free test drive of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim. No one does data better than Oracle.

🤗 Good news: After undergoing brain surgery to remove a tumor, a 21-year-old woman can speak again in a new way. OpenAI’s new Voice Engine recreated her voice using just a 15-second clip. Now, Alexis Bogan simply types words on her phone, and the AI speaks in real time. One of the first things Alexis did after regaining her voice? Order Starbucks. Amazing.

You have my Word: Now, any text you copy and paste in Microsoft Word will automatically match the font, size and color of your existing document. Nice! Prefer the old way? Go to File > Options > Advanced > Cut, copy, and paste > Pasting from other programs, and choose Keep Source Formatting.

Buh-bye, Temu poo-poo: Will we start seeing fewer ads for Temu? You betcha! Temu has peaked in the U.S. (WSJ, paywall link) and doesn’t want to turn into another TikTok by getting banned, so it’s moving on to selling cheap junk in other countries now.

“My radio station used to carry your show, but this is a great replacement,” wrote Nancy in Miami, Florida. Now, friends, my free newsletter isn’t a replacement for my national award-winning radio show. The show is loaded with things you won’t find here, along with the best callers ever. Find my show on a radio station near you or as a podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.