The dangers AI brings to teens

​​🍜 Is this pho real? Some idiot tried to steal an $18,000 robotic server from a San Jose Thai restaurant. The guy walked in, asked to use the restroom, then dragged the bot to his car when he thought no one was looking. Employees stopped him, but it almost would’ve been funnier if they didn’t … The robot’s software only works inside the restaurant, so it would’ve been useless.

To build a single Apollo spacesuit. They were made by bra company Playtex, whose engineers know all about stretchy fabric. The result? Some 21 layers of fabric and clever “bellows” joints that let Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin bend their arms and legs. That’s stellar support.

Out-of-this-world upgrade: Apple’s iOS 18.3 update lets certain T-Mobile customers send texts from anywhere. It’s part of SpaceX and T-Mobile’s direct-to-cell satellite service. If you signed up for the beta in December and got lucky, you should see a toggle in your cellular data settings to enable it. It’s text-only for now, but voice and data connectivity are coming in the future.

Apple-lutely amazing: Most orchards still do things the old-fashioned way, but that’s changing fast. Startups are testing robotic pollinators in places where bees can’t get the job done, saving fertilizer by pinpointing trees that need it the most and using 12-foot robotic arms for harvesting. This is great, because what’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? Finding half a worm.

Eighth-graders reading at a basic level. That’s the lowest since federal testing began in 1992. Fourth-graders are doing even worse, at 60% (paywall link). They were kindergarteners when the pandemic hit in 2020 … not a coincidence.

There’s an app for that: The next time you need shampoo, you might not have to wait around for someone to unlock the case. CVS is updating its app to let you unlock antitheft shelves on your own after connecting to the store’s Wi-Fi. It’s being tested in NYC locations, with plans to expand to more stores, mostly on the West Coast.

Mystery (not) explained: Two months later, the White House says all those drones spotted over New Jersey weren’t foreign enemies or aliens. They were authorized by the FAA for research and “various other reasons.” Uh, what kind of research? No details. And the “various other reasons?” Insert conspiracy theories here.

New chips mean new risks: A serious flaw in Apple gear lets hackers snag data while you’re logged into Gmail in one tab and iCloud in another. The two vulnerabilities, named “FLOP” and “SLAP,” impact Mac laptops made in 2022 or later; Mac desktops from 2023 or later; iPad Pro, Air and Mini models from September 2021 and later; and iPhone 13, 14, 15 and 16 models, plus the iPhone SE (3rd-gen). There’s no fix yet. Be extra careful and log out of your email account when you’re not using it.

I warned you about this months ago: If you get a text from E-ZPass or SunPass about unpaid tolls, fines or legal trouble, delete it. Chinese cybercriminals are behind a campaign sending fake messages across America. Click the link and you’ll land on a copycat site of a real toll services company, ready to steal your payment info. Never follow a link to pay a bill; go to the official site yourself.

Speed Boom’s Supersonic XB-1 jet reached in tests. It’s the first civilian aircraft to break the sound barrier, aka Mach 1.1. The company has raised $700 million to build a plane that’ll carry 64 passengers at 1,300 mph (Mach 1.7) by 2030. At that speed, you could fly from LA to NYC in about two hours.