Apple v. Everyone: This isn’t surprising news, but you should be aware. Apple tried to block a DOJ antitrust suit saying it rigs the smartphone market, and lost. The case will go to trial, with feds claiming Apple bullies devs, locks out competition and basically gatekeeps iOS. Apple says it’s just “innovation.”
Take a trip back to your childhood home, no plane ticket required
Google Maps
That’s my childhood home above at 111 Washington Avenue, South Amboy, NJ. I was about 10 when I knocked out my front tooth on the swing set. There was also the day when I made the very bad decision to throw a snowball at a passing police car while the officer had his windows open. (Yes, I hit him. No, I don’t recommend it.)
I hadn’t looked at my old house in years, but seeing it on Google Maps took me straight back. Want to do it, too? It’s super easy and a little emotional.
🗺️ Find your childhood home
- Open the Google Maps app or go to maps.google.com.
- Type in and enter the address of the house or neighborhood.
- Select Street View, then tap the image.
- Tap (or click) the screen and then select “See more dates” (top left, web, or bottom, app) to go back in time.
If you’re lucky, Google may have snapshots of the home over the years. You can see when the fence was replaced, or if they finally painted the garage door, or if the tree you used to cry under is still standing.
🤖 Now add AI fun
Here’s a great use of AI that’s actually heartwarming. Upload a screenshot of your childhood home to ChatGPT (or another image AI tool) and say:
“This is the house I grew up in. Can you help me write a short story about a memory here?” If you use Midjourney, it can make an aerial view.
💡 Bonus idea: Jot down three childhood memories in your Notes app. The next time you’re with your kids or grandkids, show them the house and tell them the stories.
Trust me, they’ll remember the one about the snowball. Or the time your mom found you building a sandcastle and took Grandpa’s urn back. ⚱️
AI-powered home gadgets that lower your bills
ChatGPT
Every time my energy bill arrives, I swear it looks more like a ransom note: “$412 or the AC gets it.”
But guess what? Some good (actually smart) tech can help liberate you from this hostage situation, with real savings.
$300 million
What Meta reportedly dangled to top AI researchers. Zuck’s new Superintelligence Lab is in full poach mode, trying to lure OpenAI stars with equity-rich packages. First-year compensation? Over $100 million in some cases. OpenAI has already lost seven staffers to Meta. Execs are saying it’s “like someone broke into our home.”
🎧 Share podcasts from your iPad: Listening to something good and want to send it to a friend? While the episode’s playing, tap the three-dot menu and choose Share Episode. At the top, select From Start or the exact time you want, like From 12:31. Now tap Done, pick how you want to share it and send.
Find all those subscriptions you forgot about
ChatGPT
July 4th is all about independence, fireworks and maybe reinventing how many hot dogs a stomach can physically hold.
But financial freedom? Nothing says “I’m a prisoner of the bad side of capitalism” like paying for three streaming services just to rewatch The Office on a loop.
📊 Set a data limit on Windows: On a capped data plan? You can add a warning so you don’t go over. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Data usage, select your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, then hit Enter limit. Choose a Limit type (like Monthly), enter your cap and click Save.
A free upgrade could be hidden in your TV: NextGen TV broadcasts have more vibrant colors, a higher resolution, better-quality surround sound and interactive features. Newer TVs from Sony, Hisense, Samsung and TCL have NextGen tuners built in, but you probably didn’t know it. See if your TV has NextGen here and which channels are available in your area!
🔍 Zoom in on Instagram posts: Using Instagram on your phone and can’t see the tiny details? You can zoom in on photos and videos by spreading two fingers apart on the screen. It’s great for reading small texts. Just don’t double tap by accident while snooping. That late-night “like” is hard to explain.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Want to reopen that tab you just closed? Hit Ctrl + Shift + T (Windows) or Command + Shift + T (Mac). Magic.
🎧 Join me this weekend! My national radio show is hitting 500+ stations coast to coast, and you’re on the VIP list. I’ll be sharing smart tech tips, digital life advice, crazy stories that didn’t make the newsletter and taking your calls! Find your local station or get the podcast.
🚨 A sneaky virus could be lurking. It’s better to be safe than sorry, which is why I trust TotalAV. For just $19 for the first year, you get rock-solid antivirus protection on up to five devices. It’s smart, simple and keeps your tech safe without breaking the bank.
Swipe to type on Samsung: If you have a Galaxy smartphone, you don’t need to tap each key. Open a message, select the keyboard settings icon, and go to Swipe, touch, and feedback. Choose Keyboard swipe controls, then hit Swipe to type. Now just glide your finger across letters to spell out words. Easy.
🍏 Turn Spotlight searches into shortcuts: Always using Spotlight on your iPhone to find the same apps? Save yourself the trouble. Just long-press the app in the search results, drag it out and drop it onto your Home Screen. It’s quicker than digging through your App Library every day.
🤖 Use Canva inside ChatGPT: You can now design directly in ChatGPT without switching tabs. Here’s how: Open ChatGPT, go to Tools > Run deep research > Sources and connect your Canva account. From there, you can pull in brand assets, reuse existing designs or whip up something new based on your current chat.
Baby, you’re a firework: For better Fourth pics, turn off your flash and try Burst mode. Hold down your finger on the picture button to enter Burst mode and take dozens of rapid-fire photos. Or do what I do and just enjoy it IRL. No one’s gonna want to see the fireworks video you took with your phone, just sayin’.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Swipe in with three fingers on your iPad or iPhone from the side to copy/paste or undo/redo. It’s the gesture shortcut pros (and now you) use.
⚠️ AI ate the home page: First, the good news. ChatGPT’s referrals to sites are way up (25x!) from zero. The bad news? Nearly 70% of Google searches now end in zero clicks to sites. It just doesn’t matter if you’re top of Google search results anymore. SEO used to be gold. Spoiler: I predicted this over two years ago and got laughed at.
💵 Bon voyage to car rental fees: Clark Howard has a secret weapon to fight one pesky fee: a portable toll reader. Register online, and it works in 19 states. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive more must-have money tips every day.
Have dyslexia? Try the dyslexic font on Kindle. Open a book, tap near the top of the screen and hit the Aa icon. Go to Font > Font family and select OpenDyslexic. Bonus: You can also adjust the boldness and size of the font from here.