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Hidden folders: The secret hoarders of your phone
You deleted that weird photo of your ex’s mom from your vacation three summers ago … or did you? Hidden folders on your phone are holding your “deleted” pictures and videos hostage, quietly clogging your storage and embarrassing you long past their expiration date.
Time to go folder spelunking and clear out these digital cobwebs.
📷 Android: The archive and trash trap
If you use Google Photos (and most Android users do, plus a lot of iPhone folks, too), you have two sneaky folders: Archive and Trash.
- Archive is where you stash photos you don’t want cluttering your main feed but still want to keep.
- Trash is where deleted photos go to hang out for 30 to 60 days before they’re permanently erased.
How to check them:
- Open Google Photos. Tap Collections at the bottom.
- Tap Archive to see hidden photos. Tap Trash to see what’s waiting to disappear (or secretly stick around).
👉 Pro tip: If you accidentally deleted something important, you can still recover it from Trash, but only if you catch it before the auto-delete timer runs out.
📱 iPhone: Recently deleted isn’t deleted
Think you’ve cleared that shameful live photo of you fake laughing at brunch? Nope. Apple’s got it chilling in the Recently Deleted album, sipping a mimosa while taking up your storage for 30 days before vanishing for good.
How to check it:
- Open your Photos app.
- Scroll down to Utilities and tap Recently Deleted.
‘Amazon Pet Day’ starts now
🐶 Don’t miss your chance to snag some barking good deals.
- Pet hair everywhere? This fur removal tool (15% off) scrapes it all away.
- Lavender-scented poop bags (23% off) sure make scoop duty easier.
- Grab a two-pack of containers (10% off) to roll and scoop your pet’s food.
- These rubber balls (45% off) are way better than your old tennis ones.
- Large pups? This back seat extender (33% off) holds up to 400 pounds.
- Take your cat anywhere in a backpack (14% off) with a built-in fan and light.
- Btw, no need to pay Apple prices for high-quality earbuds. These give you great sound, noise isolation and are 15% off.*
🦴 More to chew: Click here to see everything Amazon’s got for your furry friend in their full sale.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Get paid to prove you’re human (don’t)
Would you let someone scan your eyeball in exchange for some free cryptocurrency?
Yes, your actual eyeball. This isn’t an audition for Season 4 of Black Mirror. It’s the premise behind OpenAI founder Sam Altman’s new project called World.
🔎 I spy a virus: If your connection’s dragging, a virus might be the culprit. I trust and recommend TotalAV. It’s just $19 a year to protect up to five devices on Windows, Mac, Android and more. That’s total peace of mind for your phone, laptop and tablet.
🎸 Be brief, be wrong: A new study shows that telling AI to “be concise” makes it hallucinate more. Yup, your polite little prompt for brevity might be the exact thing making ChatGPT write, “Elvis is still alive, trust me.”
🤐 Mute yourself: When you call customer service and hear, “This call may be recorded,” it’s not just while you’re talking with a rep. They can hear everything, even when you’re on hold. So hit that mute button next time you want to vent your frustrations.
Canon event POV: You can now “walk” around Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Disney+, and there are zero stroller traffic jams. The new immersive POV special lets you explore Black Spire Outpost, spot Rey and Mando and vibe in theme park peace. It’s like a Disney vacation, minus $18 hot dogs and sunstroke.
700
The number of customer service agents Klarna said AI could replace. Plot twist: The buy-now-pay-later company is hiring again (paywall link). Turns out cutting costs tanked service quality, and surprise, people still like talking to actual humans. They want new hires to be remote students or folks from rural areas.
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.
Smarten up, buttercup
⚡ Here’s gear that puts everything at your fingertips (literally).
- Control these LED lights (10% off) from your phone or just ask Alexa.
- Schedule automatic on/off times with a four-pack of smart switches ($66).
- Need a group photo? This bendy phone tripod (20% off) has your back.
- Type anywhere with a foldable keyboard ($50) that fits in your bag.
- Use an ergonomic mouse (43% off) to scroll and click with less strain.
🧠 More smart stuff: I count on these gadgets to simplify my life. They’ll make things easier for you, too.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🤑 Teen crypto heist plot: Two Florida high schoolers allegedly kidnapped a millionaire at gunpoint, blindfolded him with a towel and dragged him into the desert to steal $4 million in crypto. How’d they know to target him? Loose lips sink ships.
Signs you have spyware or a keylogger
Is your phone suddenly running hot? That might not just be a glitch. It could be some creep spying in on your phone.
Jeff Bezos’ prime day: Rumor has it the tech billionaire is tying the knot on a Venetian island in an open-air theater. As for entertainment? Oh, just Elton John and Lady Gaga, nothing too extravagant. And the guest list? Think Kardashians, Katy Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio and maybe President Trump. Yeah, subtle isn’t really his thing. I am still waiting for my invite.
🍆 Hard pill to swallow: Scammers on TikTok are using AI deepfakes to sell Viagra-like pills. One classic? A jacked guy holding a giant carrot, saying the product boosts testosterone and energy levels. PSA: They’re using fake doctors and celebs, too. Don’t buy it, you never know what they are putting in those pills.
Major data breach at HR firm: A cyberattack at Kelly Benefits exposed personal info from over 400,000 people. Hackers got basically everything needed for identity theft. The company says there’s no sign of misuse yet, but they’re offering 12 months of free credit monitoring. Never stops.
Free TV is having a moment
After years of paying for every streamer under the sun, young folks are waking up to broadcast TV.
After 60 years
Legendary rock band The Who are calling it quits. Their farewell tour, The Song Is Over, will hit 16 shows across North America as a final thank-you to fans. Presales start May 13, with general tickets up for grabs May 16. We won’t get fooled again.
Over 200
That’s how many times one guy let snakes bite him. On purpose. He’s been building immunity for years to help cook up a universal antivenom. Most antidotes only work on one species, but his blood has already helped save mice from 13 of the 19 deadliest snakes on Earth. Talk about taking one for the team. Repeatedly.
Scammer ruins a 45-year marriage
What’s worse than your mom leaving your dad for a guy she met on Instagram? Finding out he’s a romance scammer and she knows — but she’s still in love. That’s what happened to Grant Inman. Now, the My Funeral Home Stories host is trying to help his mom see the truth.You, 21 min