Cheap ways to make your old tech better
Reading this on a 6-year-old iPhone 11? It’s well past the average smartphone lifespan of 2.5 years … and I’m impressed you’ve hung onto it this long. Btw, Apple typically provides iOS updates for five to six years after a model’s release.
💅 Feel like a spy: Put a smart NFC chip (paywall link) under your manicure. It’s a neat party trick to share social media links, send texts or open apps with just your finger. Here’s one on Amazon, but they don’t always work smoothly. Fun but could use a bit more … polish (I know you laughed).
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
17 teaspoons
Added sugar most Americans eat or drink each day. Wow! It’s way more than the 9-teaspoon limit for men and 6 for women. But watch out for diet sodas or sugar-free snacks with artificial sweeteners like sucralose. They can make you hungrier. Did you hear the sugar cube took etiquette classes? Now, he’s refined! 🍬
Microsoft Excel World Championship: Yup, it’s a real thing. Contestants get a data-loaded spreadsheet and create formulas to solve challenges and rack up points. Want in? Sign up here. For the rest of us, Microsoft’s pushing Copilot in Excel, so you can just tell it what to do and ask for pre-written formulas.
79%
Of people 12 and older have listened to audio online in the past month. That’s about 228 million Americans, a record high. The number jumps to 90% for folks 12 to 34. About 73% listen at least once a week. Yay, you’ll love my weekly podcasts and daily tech update on Apple and Spotify.
👶 Birth rates are declining: If you’re wondering why no one’s settling down anymore, here’s a stat for you: Over half of 18- to 34-year-olds in the U.S. aren’t in a steady relationship. Blame tech. Folks are spending more time on social media, video games and TV than hanging out with each other. Can’t date if you’re glued to a screen!
00Heaven: Meet the big guns producing the next Bond film. Amazon picked Amy Pascal from Spider-Man and David Heyman, who’s behind Harry Potter. This’ll be the first time the Broccoli family won’t take charge since Amazon MGM got the rights from them. Who do you want as the next Bond girl? Sorry, I’m way too busy.
🛒 Aisle see you: I want to try this! Instacart will pay you to video store shelves while you shop. It’s called Store View. This is just the start. Their Caper Carts will one day update stock levels every hour with built-in cameras.
🖥️ Windows 11 update: Microsoft dropped an optional update packed with 38 changes. What’s new? Live captions and real-time translation for over 44 languages on Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel CPUs, plus a fix for random blue screen crashes. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for Updates > Download and install.
10 years
When Bill Gates says AI will replace most human jobs. Let that sink in. He thinks only jobs like coding, energy and biology will stick around. I don’t see being a Digital Goddess on that list. What about your career? Are you nervous? Let me know at the end when you rate the newsletter. Leave your email, so I can get in touch.