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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:
Shelf-absorbed
🛁 You’re one click away from bathing like royalty.
- Hold up to 20 pounds with a stainless steel shower caddy (7% off).
- No tools? No worries, these waterproof adhesives ($9) stick right on.
- This foldable bath tray (25% off) holds your book, drink and tablet.
- Soggy bath mat? Snag a stone mat (40% off) that dries quickly.
- A pack of exfoliating soap bags (33% off) is like loofahs but better.
- Perfect for curls, this hair dryer (13% off) comes with a diffuser.
🛍️ 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.
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
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.
🚗 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.
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.
$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
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.
Outside’s calling
☀️ The weather’s heating up. Here’s how to make the most of it.
- Keep your cool with a portable fan (23% off) that hangs around your neck.
- These outdoor string lights (37% off) give your patio space a glow-up.
- Bring the bass to the pool or beach with a waterproof speaker (25% off).
- Old seat cushions? Freshen up with comfy new chair pads (20% off).
- This dog doormat (26% off) catches dirt before it hits your floors.
- Stick on a mosquito repellent patch (28% off) instead of a messy spray.
👩💻 “Kim, what tech do you use?” Glad you asked, check out my page for gear I love and rely on daily.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🚫 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.
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
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.
Surprise, iPhone 13 users: You just got a freebie. Apple’s iOS 18.5 will unlock satellite connectivity for iPhone 13 models. No hardware changes, just a software update. It’s carrier-dependent, so your provider might still hold you hostage, but it’s free to enable. Finally, you can ignore texts from space, not just Earth.
🚨 Chrome’s audio bugged & dangerous: If you’re running Google Chrome 136 without the latest patch, you’re leaving your digital front door wide open. A fresh vulnerability (named CVE-2025-4372) surfaced in Chrome’s WebAudio API that lets hackers run malicious code remotely. No user privileges required, just a quick visit to a rigged web page, and boom, they’re in. Update now.
Why your next iPhone could cost over $2,000
Apple hyped its new AI as a game-changer. Now the rollout’s delayed and the competition’s pulling ahead.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
$68,000
The salary offer a high school junior has already locked in for after graduation. Elijah Rios isn’t heading to college. He’s heading to the welding shop (paywall link). In a world where internships are unpaid and “entry-level” means three years of experience, Rios’ gig, $24 an hour with overtime, a 401(k) and benefits, feels like spotting a unicorn.
Make a self-destructing USB drive
Got a flash drive full of sensitive stuff? Here’s a way to make it wipe if someone tries to snoop.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices