Rep. Jennifer Wexton of Virginia delivered what is believed to be the first speech ever from the House floor using artificial intelligence voice technology. Wexton was diagnosed last year with a rare neurological disorder that robbed her of her ability to speak clearly.
Holiday tech hacks: Digital cookbook, easier cards, group pic tips
I’m not sure where this year went, but it’s time to dive headfirst into the festive frenzy. I’ve got some tech tips up my sleeve that’ll sprinkle a little magic on your celebrations. You’re gonna love ‘em!
1. Cook up a storm with a digital cookbook
If your recipes are printed or handwritten, snap a pic with your phone or tablet. Add them all to one folder (or try the Notes app on iOS or Google Keep for Android) for easy swiping. Listen here for more tips about that.
Cooking recipes you found online? Use this site to strip the ads, save the PDF versions and toss them all in one spot. There’s a free 14-day trial, so just remember to cancel if you’re not going to keep using it.
Now, let’s get your kitchen cooking tech stylin’ with two essentials:
- An inexpensive phone and tablet holder (47% off, $7.99) will keep your phone or tablet out of the mess of flour, stock and butter in the kitchen. Btw, I use this one for my iPad when doing the show!
- A stylus (20% off, $7.99) can be used instead of your fingers to advance videos or scroll.
2. Go with digital holiday cards
Canva, Adobe Express, Paperless Post and Mailchimp all offer solid options. Choose a template, whip up a greeting and send it in just a few minutes — no trip to the post office.
But if you want a personalized card to mail, you can pick a template and upload a photo on Amazon for 15 cards ($21.45; $1.43 each) or up to 250 cards ($180; $0.72 each).
3. Your best family pics in years
No more designating the family friend or someone’s random date as the chief photographer.
- On iPhone: Open your Camera app and tap the up arrow at the top of the screen. Scroll to the option that looks like a clock, then tap it. Select a 3- or 10-second delay.
- On Android: In the Camera app, select Timer and turn it on. Choose a delay of 2, 5 or 10 seconds.
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How to know if you’re being stalked or are just paranoid
I’ve heard it all on my national radio show. There was the guy totally freaked out because too many strangers in public knew his name for it to be a coincidence. (His name was Buddy.)
There was a woman who swore one of Metallica’s band members hacked her iPhone to stalk her after she rejected him online. And another who bought and sold three cars because she thought they all had hidden trackers.
Deals on deals on deals
🦸 Finding good sales is my superpower.
- I found a fantastic 4-pack of AirTag holders perfect for keeping track of everything from keys to luggage. Click the coupon for 20% off.
- Ladies, if you wear flats, you need no-show shoe liners instead of socks. Comfy, discreet and no more sweaty feet (ew).
- For cozy days at home, slouchy socks (12% off) are my new go-to. Yes, Barry makes fun of me.
- This wireless Bluetooth sleep mask plays calming sounds, white noise or your favorite tunes without disturbing your partner.
- Your pet deserves the best, and this pet water fountain will keep ‘em hydrated and happy.
- For all-day comfort, try the groundbreaking insoles with NASA foam technology (10% off). They never flatten!
- Made right here in the USA, this fluoride-free whitening toothpaste is packed with natural ingredients and under $10.
- Snag a cable organizer pouch (40% off) to keep all your chargers and gadgets neat and protected.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Protect your fam from fake kidnapping calls
Could you tell your child’s voice from a scammer’s? With AI cloning technology, it’s harder than ever.
⛑️ Tech to the rescue: A quick-thinking 4-year-old girl saved her mom’s life during an epileptic seizure. With mom’s phone locked and out of reach, she remembered the Amazon Alexa upstairs. She asked Alexa to call her great-grandmother, who rushed over to help. Let this be your reminder to teach your kiddos how to use technology in emergencies.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
What are the chances someone else’s face can open your iPhone? Is it … A.) 1 in 10,000, B.) 1 in 100,000, C.) 1 in 1,000,000 or D.) 1 in 1,000,000,000?
$15 billion investment
From Mercedes, with a chunk of that going toward “high-tech combustion technology.” Yep, gas cars. Audi, Porsche and Toyota are hitting the brakes (sorry) on EVs, too. They’re not stopping development, though — just pouring less money into it.
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Boost your company’s productivity with this AI-powered documents solution
Accountants, real estate agents, construction companies and marketing agencies — pretty much everybody is using Tungsten document automation to streamline workflows.
Dealing with documents in the digital age can feel like a throwback to an earlier, less efficient era. You’re buried in paperwork, navigating tons of files, and manually inputting data. It’s time-consuming, error-prone, and let’s be honest, a bit outdated.
LG’s display tech just hit a big milestone: 50% stretchability. Imagine pulling out your phone and being able to twist and turn it all around.
It’s not just social media: A scientist says technology as a whole is to blame for the rising mental health crisis. Biologist Richard Dawkins thinks our genetic evolution is too slow to keep up with how fast things have changed. The kicker: Even if we pull the plug on tech, we’re so reliant on it that things might actually get worse.
Dawn of the dead: A German startup, Tomorrow Bio, wants to bring you back from the dead for a “cool” $216,500. They’ll freeze your body in liquid nitrogen immediately after you die and revive you when (if?) the technology catches up. Seriously, 650 folks and pets are already signed up. If you can’t swing that price, they’ll freeze just your brain for a mere $80,000.
Apple’s next big idea: Robot butlers
Picture an AI smarty-pants to wash the dishes, clean the house and video chat with you when you’re not home. Plus, fakes on Facebook, no more sharing Disney+ passwords, and Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.
🌎 A Swedish joke? There’s Norway I can Finnish it: Scientists developed an AI-enabled bilingual brain implant. One stroke survivor communicates in Spanish and English. It uses neural network technology, essentially a decoding system that transforms brain activity into sentences in both languages. Amazing.
A good share of people 65-plus are curious about new technology, not overwhelmed by it. What percent? Is it … A.) 40%, B.) 50%, C.) 60% or D.) 70%?
This mom goes screen-free
Most kids are glued to the computer. But Stacy Liberatore, Deputy Science and Technology Editor at DailyMail.com, takes a different approach — she says no to screens for her daughter. Plus, updates on ChatGPT-4o, Gmail AI features, and fast food freebies.
A cold-brew cup of Joe is made by steeping the grounds in cold water, a process that takes between 12 and 24 hours. But Australian scientists say they’ve gotten that down to 3 minutes using what technology? Is it … A.) Ultraviolet waves, B.) Ultrasound waves, C.) Radio waves or D.) X‑rays?
The best players are on the bench: MIT researchers created “smart gloves” that help you play the piano. Using haptic technology, they recorded an actual pianist’s hand movements and then passed those to a student through a glove’s fingertip vibrations. There’s still hope I might be able to play piano one day.
Is Tesla committing securities fraud?
Federal prosecutors are investigating Tesla for possibly misleading customers and investors about its self-driving technology.