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July 20, 2025

📧 Prime-time panic: Amazon just mass-emailed 220 million Prime users about a rise in account impersonation scams. Phishing, phone calls and fake Prime renewals are the flavor of the month. Frequent scams include phony iPhone purchases and “click here to cancel” traps. You’re not special. Everyone got this email. But don’t click anything. Seriously.

Fake views, real gas money: A couple drove three hours to visit a scenic cable car spot … that doesn’t exist. It was conjured by Google’s Veo 3 AI video maker and posted by a fake AI news channel on TikTok. Deepfake scams are up 2,137% since 2022, and now your vacation plans might be, too.

🕳️ Who left the door open? Texas-based adoption agency Gladney left 1.1 million records sitting in an open 2.5 GB database like it was a lemonade stand. Data about kids, parents, even employees, all up for grabs, no password. Could’ve been weaponized for scams, blackmail or the worst Facebook friend request ever. It’s now locked, but the damage? TBD.

Hackers don’t need your permission, just one weak link or data breach, and your identity is theirs. I don’t take chances. I use NordProtect to stay one step ahead. Full protection, 65% off right now. Don’t wait.*

🧲 Planes ditch GPS (kinda): Scientists are turning to the Earth’s crust for next-gen flight nav. Turns out, underground magnetic quirks can help planes figure out where they are, no satellites needed. It’s called magnetic anomaly mapping, and it could be a game changer when GPS gets jammed, spoofed or quiet-quits midair.

🧀 Cottage cheese is hot: Cottage cheese is having a weird moment. Albertsons says sales are booming thanks to TikTok recipes and a renewed obsession with protein. Sales surged by 18% in a year, hitting $1.75 billion last year. Why? Cottage cheese ice cream, toast, even pancakes. Next up: cottage cheese cold brew. You know it’s coming.

📱 I’ve gotta tell you something, switching to Consumer Cellular was one of the smartest moves I’ve made. You can keep your phone and number, or get a deal on a new one. Same reliable coverage at a fraction of the price, and real U.S.-based support folks who are patient and want to help and listen. Check it out! Get $25 off by using code KIM25.

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The accuracy rate of EchoNext spotting structural heart disease, higher than 13 cardiologists combined. In a medical version of John Henry, AI went head-to-head with humans, and it won. EchoNext nailed diagnoses from ECGs more often than the docs’ 64%. It’s basically the Sherlock Holmes of heart scans, minus the Victorian outfit.

🛜 Full bars, slow internet? Those little Wi-Fi bars only show your connection to the router, not your internet speed. So even if they’re full, apps can run slower than a Monday morning. When in doubt, run a speed test and check if your download, upload and ping match what you’re paying for.

Good in the world: After the horrific July 4th floods tore through Kerr County, Texas, one woman started a Facebook group to reunite survivors with their stuff, and 36,000 strangers joined in. Volunteers are cleaning mud-soaked diaries, baby shoes and wedding rings, then posting photos to help people reclaim what’s left. It’s heartbreak, healing and hope.

🤖 Don’t buy anything Pixel now: Google’s next-gen Pixel lineup drops on Aug. 20, featuring four new phones, including a foldable (paywall link) and a fresh Pixel Watch. Expect Android 16 Gemini AI baked into everything, and a switch to TSMC chips.

🏡 Yelp is not treason: Turns out, leaving a three-star review can cost you $2K. A Scottsdale renter who dared to complain got fined $4,000 for “negativity.” Why? A sneaky non-disparagement clause in the lease. The company only walked it back after local news and the FTC caught wind.

Zooming on the Autobahn: Mercedes-Benz is letting drivers hop on Microsoft Teams calls while driving. Yes, really. You can use the in-car camera to broadcast your face mid-merge, just no screen sharing (thankfully). It’s launching in the new CLA first, part of a push to make your car a third workspace. Because apparently, two weren’t exhausting enough.

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The number of autonomous vehicle companies Uber now has deals with. It currently counts companies like Waymo, Motional, Baidu, even delivery bots like Nuro, in its Infinity Gauntlet. Uber’s building the whole arena. Baidu alone ran 1.4 million robotaxi rides last quarter in China.

🕵️‍♀️ Tracked and terrified: A Nebraska woman thought she dropped her AirPods. Instead, she pulled a tracking device from her car, then found four more. The kicker? That’s not illegal in her state. No consent laws, no tracking rules. She installed cameras, caught her ex, and is now pushing to change the law. Here’s what to do if you find one.

💖 Fastpass to love: You can now find your Disney partner obsession in a new dating app called Single Riders. You can plan park dates, geek out over hidden Mickeys or sing “It’s a small world” together. If Goofy offers you style goals, this one’s for you.