Grandma got played, but not by bingo
These tech tips will make you too powerful
How the Vatican is locking down the conclave
AI isn’t optional anymore

Unplanned & perfect

Wi-Fi slow? It’s probably this

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Tech deals hiding in plain sight

ChatGPT

You made it through the week. Time to treat yourself! I dug through the sea of fake reviews and gimmicks for sweet savings on gadgets you’ll actually want. Let’s dive in.

🚘 Eyes on the road 24/7: Redtiger’s 4K dual dash cam ($118.99, 30% off) covers your ride from front to back, even when parked. Your protection is worth the investment.

Comfort you can click: Sore wrist? Logitech’s ergonomic mouse ($69.25, 13% off) keeps your hand in a natural pose. Perfect for those marathon workdays or late-night scrolling.

🔋 Power in a pinch: Dead phone? Not on my watch. Grab a slim portable charger ($15.99, 36% off) that works with Apple and Android.

🔌 “Alexa, let there be light”: Control your lights and appliances with just your voice. These smart plugs ($25.99, 7% off) work with all the big smart assistants like Alexa, Google and Siri.

📖 Treadmill reading = solved: Flip through e-books without lifting a finger with a page turner clicker ($15.99, 20% off) that comes with a nifty bag. Lazy? Maybe. Brilliant? Definitely.

13 hours of fun: That’s the battery life of Amazon’s new Fire HD 10 tablet ($94.99, 32% off). You’ll save a cool $45 to stream, browse and more.

📺 Cut the cord: The Google TV Streamer 4K ($79, 21% off) turns any screen into a smart TV. Say “hello” to Google Voice and “bye” to your cable bill.

🎧 Wireless wins again: Don’t get stuck in 2005. An AirFly Pro ($46.99, 15% off) turns your old-school headphones into wireless ones.

Rock on, rain or shine: BolaButty’s waterproof speaker ($21.99, 19% off) brings the tunes for 20 hours. Great for pool parties or beach days.

🔥 Is it hot in here? It’s almost BBQ season! This digital meat thermometer ($16.98, 15% off) has over 60K five-star reviews. Take the guesswork out of cooking.

🍷 Stubborn corks, meet your match: This electric bottle opener ($24.69, 18% off) can pop open 30 bottles on a single charge. Cheers to that!

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Another one fights the dust

👇 Here’s your go-to team for keeping things spotless and sane.

⚡ Germ-zap: Parents, check out a mini UV case (5% off) that sanitizes pacifiers in just 59 seconds.

Your privacy restored

© Eduard Goricev | Dreamstime.com, © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.com

Ever Googled yourself and thought, “What the heck is that doing online?” Old addresses, phone numbers and even the car you drive are all out there. Worse, it’s probably on some sketchy people search site or buried in a mountain of search results.

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🛍️ Don’t pay full price: When stores clear out their inventory at the end of each season, that’s your chance to save. Type “end of season clearance” into Amazon’s search bar and use the filters on the left to find what you need. And check out Amazon Outlet for overstocked and off-season deals.

Know this about LinkedIn: The best days to post are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Aim for early mornings (around 8-10 a.m.) or around lunch (12-1 p.m.) in your local time zone to capture the most engagement. Use my special link to post a job for free on LinkedIn.

The $1 Wi-Fi trick blowing up online

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Weak signal? Grab some foil. This kitchen hack might actually boost your Wi-Fi.

👀 Maybe a blindness cure: This is amazing! Scientists just figured out how to reverse retinal damage by blocking a protein that stops our eyes from healing themselves. The tech is still in early trials, but human tests could start by 2028, giving new hope to millions with glaucoma, macular degeneration and other vision loss. Btw, it’s been almost two years since my corneal transplant. It didn’t heal exactly the way I hoped because initially I had 20/20 vision. But hey, I’ll take it: 20/100 vision is a whole lot better than 20/400!

By the numbers

$74,000

That’s how much a guy has made renting out his yard. His secret? An app called Neighbor, which connects people who need parking or storage with folks who have extra space. He has about 21 spots for things like RVs, boats and buses, renting for anywhere between $90 and $200 a month. BRB, measuring my driveway.

Star Wars drops in Fortnite

A new animated series “Tales of the Underworld” is premiering in Fortnite. Yes, like inside the actual video game. It airs tomorrow, May 2 at 10 AM ET, two days before Disney+ gets it. Of course, there’s in-game merch for kids to buy. The trailer doesn’t look too bad.

Blackout prep

⚡ The outage in Europe shows how it’s key to stay ready.

🪫 Don’t run on empty: Stock up on AA and AAA batteries from Duracell (19% off) or Energizer (23% off).

🗻 Double rescue on Mount Fuji: A 27-year-old had to be saved twice in just four days trying to scale the mountain. Yep, twice. First, he lost his crampons (those spiky things for walking on ice) and couldn’t climb down. Rescuers got  him back to the parking lot. There, he realized he did not have his phone. So he hiked back up to find his phone and got altitude sickness. Maybe just take the L next time, dude.

How to tell if a job applicant isn’t real

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Hackers are using AI to create fake job candidates that look and sound real on Zoom. Try this pro trick to spot them.

Scammers are deepfaking finance pros: They’re posting videos impersonating experts like Abby Joseph Cohen, promising to make you rich fast. All you have to do? Join their WhatsApp group for “undervalued” stock tips. Please don’t. Anytime a complete stranger promises you wealth or love and wants to use WhatsApp for a conversation, that is a major scam red flag.

🕯️ Lights out: Spain and Portugal got power-washed into the 1800s on Monday. The entire grid collapsed in 3.5 seconds, and power was out across entire countries for several hours. Spain’s thinking the massive blackout is sabotage. Some blame Russia. Others say freak weather. Either way, lights are back, but answers are not.

🤖 Llama mia: Meta just launched a stand-alone AI app (iOS, Android) to compete against ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, Claude and all the others. It’s the same chatbot you’ve used inside Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, built on their Llama model. I’ll report back after I’ve used it for a bit.

Crying in my pillow

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The MyPillow guy’s lawyer used AI to write court filings in the Dominion case. Big mistake.

By the numbers

186 mph

That’s how fast a 22-year-old YouTuber was clocked on a highway. The helmet-cam footage of him speeding on a Connecticut highway at nearly 3x the speed limit went viral but also got him arrested for reckless driving. He’s since been released on a $5K bond, and grounded by the internet.

By the numbers

2,700

That’s how many parts are inside an iPhone, sourced from 28 countries. Less than 5% are made in the U.S., and most of the rest come from Asia. Only 30 out of 187 suppliers have no presence in China. “Designed in California” is different when the screws are from four continents.

Waymo wants to sell you a $25K self-driving car

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Owning your own robotaxi could soon be a reality. Plus, when did you made your first investment? Thanks to AI, people are doing it younger than ever. Also: Selfies with the pope, and why Apple wants you to delete Chrome right now.