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Breaking news and tips
Your phone has a death date
Your phone is dying as you’re reading this. Many people don’t realize that, like milk, condoms or your favorite hot sauce that’s been in the fridge since 2018, your phone has an expiration date.
Here are the average lifespans for some of today’s most popular phone brands and makes:
- Apple iPhone: 4 to 8 years; iPhones often get 6+ years of iOS updates.
- Samsung: 3 to 6 years. Flagships get 5 years of updates, but budget models tend to peak around 3 years.
- Google Pixel: 3 to 5 years. Pixels now promise up to 7 years of updates (starting with Pixel 8).
To be clear: These are averages. Like dog years or Tinder bios, your mileage may vary.
What’s your number?
Here’s the juicy bit: Your phone’s expiration countdown starts when it’s manufactured, not when you bought it, so knowing when it was built is super important. Here are ways to find out:
- Look around: The manufacture date is often listed on the package. If you tossed it, check the “About” section in your phone’s settings for a date or serial number.
- Serial number: Many manufacturers encode the manufacturing date within these numbers. The site SNDeep.info can help you decode yours.
- Dial secret codes: Special codes and menus can reveal manufacturing information. Dialing *#06# might or might not show your phone’s serial number.
Yeah, I know. This looks like way too much work.
Hallelujah, an easier way
Instead of taking the steps above, head to endoflife.date. This handy site lists the end-of-life (EOL) dates for devices, software programs and others. Some quick links for you to check your phone’s EOL:
The links below aren’t for phones, but I thought you might want to check the EOL for your other tech:
Snip n’ snatched
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Digital self-destruction for fun and paranoia
How to make any USB drive self-destruct
“Kim, I’m paranoid about losing my USB drive. Is there any way to make it so if someone steals it, they can’t see or open anything?” — Dave in Denver
🎉 You’re invited! This weekend, my award-winning national radio show is broadcasting on 420+ stations across the U.S., and I’d love for you to join the fun. I’m talking tech tips, digital life hacks, wild stories I can’t fit in the newsletter and taking calls from listeners just like you. Find your local station or get the podcast.
This leaves a mark: For the first time in over 20 years, Google searches through Apple’s Safari browser have dropped. Not a shocker. More people are using ChatGPT and Perplexity instead. Investors sold on the news, and Alphabet (Google’s parent company) lost around $250 billion in market value in a single day, or about the GDP of Finland or Portugal.
Are you on track for retirement? Dreaming of retirement but not sure if you are on track to meet your goals? This calculator from Clark.com will help you see the real numbers to determine if you can retire comfortably. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive more must-have tips every day.
🚨 Windows alert: New password-stealing malware is spreading fast. It shows a fake “I Am Not A Robot” CAPTCHA and tells you to open the Windows Run box and type a command. Huge red flag. No legit site will ever ask you to do that. If it pops up, close the page immediately. And yes, real-time protection helps. I use TotalAV.
Only 1 in 4
AI projects actually deliver a return on investment. Still, companies are FOMOing cash at them like it’s a sure thing — 64% of CEOs jumped in before even knowing if the tech would help. But hey, they’re playing the long game. Most don’t expect results for at least two years. Gotta spend it to (maybe) earn it.
40-foot submarine-hunting drone
The “BlueWhale” uses special sensors to spot underwater and surface threats, and can help clear mines. The cool bit? It’s fully autonomous and runs on batteries for weeks. Basically, a Roomba’s scarier cousin with serious military vibes.
Shelf-absorbed
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🛍️ It’s not too late to shop my Mother’s Day Ultimate Gift List. Order now, so it arrives on time.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🚗 Polestar recall: The EV maker no one really knows about is recalling over 27,000 Polestar 2s due to a rearview camera issue. In some models, the camera might not show anything when reversing. FYI: It affects 2021 to 2025 models. A fix is coming via software update. Expect a letter with details by June 19. But since you get my free newsletter, you know now.
New car buying scam
Buying a car online? Even with video tours and snazzy websites, scammers are stealing thousands.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Netflix is updating its home screen: Well, they should for what we pay them every month. Live events like NFL games will be easier to spot so you don’t miss them. You’ll start seeing labels like “Emmy Winner” right on show images. And they’re adding AI to search, so you can type stuff like “something scary but also funny,” and it’ll suggest movies and shows that actually fit. Neat.
🚫 No ban, no problem: TikTok’s execs are telling advertisers to relax, promising the app’s staying power despite that little thing called a federal ban potentially kicking in next month (paywall link). With 170 million U.S. users and Super Bowl ad ambitions, TikTok says it’s too big to flinch.
Excelling in email: Microsoft’s new Outlook rules will put you in a bad mood if you send over 5,000 emails a day and aren’t squeaky clean with SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Now, instead of spam folders, your email marketing will be basically just shouting into a canyon. Instead, use a free option like Mailchimp.
3 scams that drain your bank account
Think you’d never fall for one? These are the exact tricks catching people every day.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
$10 million
Has already been bet on one unregulated site over who’ll become the next pope. Gambling on religious events is banned in Italy, so locals are placing $20 pizza bets instead. As for front-runners? Cardinals Parolin and Tagle. Because nothing says divine intervention like odds-making and mozzarella
About 2,000 runners
Took on the Atlanta Marathon, with some hoping to punch their ticket to Boston. But the course came up 554 feet short. Yep, someone goofed the route. That teensy error threw off finish times by up to 87 seconds, making them invalid for qualifying. So yeah, months of training … down the drain. Race organizers, you had one job.
Delete a selfie? Facebook saw it — May 10th, Hour 1
Post a pic. Regret it. Delete it. Facebook tracked when teen girls did that, says a former company exec. Then, at that moment, it allegedly hit them with beauty ads. Plus, NYC tests crime-predicting AI and drivers want buttons back in cars. I also talk to Ken from Ohio, who says his Apple Watch saved his life.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices