Global tech outage wreaks havoc

July 19, 2024

A software update by CrowdStrike took down tons of computer systems around the world. Banks, businesses, hospitals, and more were all impacted. Plus, Amazon Prime Day updates and Zoom’s demand for a return to the office.

Tags: Amazon, Amazon Prime, Amazon Prime Day, banks, businesses, computer, demand, download, hospitals, office, open, outage, Plus, Prime, Prime Day, return, software, software update, systems, tech, update, updates, Zoom

RIP, tax dollars: NASA scrapped a moon rover that cost $450 million to build. The VIPER had already been developed to explore the southern part of the moon, but further testing was deemed too expensive.

Sneak peek: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Looks like they’re going all-in on AI, dubbing it “built for the Gemini era.” It’s expected to drop Aug. 13.

165% surge

In exterminator searches in the U.S., compared to 2023. Across the country, people are waging war with pests. Three times as many Yelp searches for cockroach exterminators have been completed than at this time last year. According to Yelp, California has the biggest rat problem. Bet you thought it was New York.

Some 51% of people think sharing their smartphone PIN with a partner is normal and healthy. Checking internet search histories and tracking a partner’s location are a different story; 74% of those surveyed think location tracking is toxic, and that percentage jumps to 95% if the location tracking is done without the other party’s knowledge.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a cop! Police in California used a drone to nab a burglar near the Santa Monica Pier. The little guy spotted a car thief using a screwdriver to punch open locks in a parking lot, and it called in officers and directed them to the exact location. Here’s the video.

✈️ You can opt out of airport facial recognition scans: Stand away from the camera, present your ID and say something like, “I opt out of biometrics. I want the standard verification process.” It could save you from a data breach or misidentification as a criminal suspect. Both have happened.

Self-driving Telsa hit & run

How do you explain this to the cops?

Police drone nabs a would-be burglar

Police in California nabbed a burglar near the Santa Monica Pier with a drone. The little guy spotted a car thief using a screwdriver to punch open locks in a parking lot. It called in officers and directed them to the exact location. Amazing, right?

Elon’s smiling: The Tesla Cybertruck is now the bestselling electric truck in America, dethroning Ford’s F-150 Lightning. There were 3,907 Cybertrucks registered in May, compared to 2,353 F-150s. Chopping fingers aside, it looks like folks don’t mind paying that $100,000 price tag after all.

🍔 Manipulation marketing: A study shows junk food is promoted online and in video games to appeal specifically to parents, children and young men. Fast-food chains tell moms they’ll save time spent cooking and keep kids quiet. Kids like the commercial’s characters. As for young guys? Special app-only deals with free delivery.