Happy Father’s Day, friend. In true dad spirit, we’re traveling to a time when man boldly conquered the epitome of technology. 

Take a guess which of these “dad staples” helped inspire the first universal TV remote control: A) A fishing rod, B) A pocket knife, C) A La-Z-Boy recliner or D) A garage door opener? The answer is clickin’ at the end.

🎯 Know someone still yelling, “It’s on channel 3!” at their Roku? Help them sharpen up their tech know-how by sharing this. — Kim

Mark in Washington, D.C., wrote in with a question that absolutely pulled at my heartstrings:

“Kim, I love your newsletter and shows on WTOP 103.5 FM. My dad passed away recently, but I have all his voicemails on my phone. Is there any way to recreate his voice so my two young kids can hear him read their favorite bedtime stories?”

Mark, what a beautiful idea. And yes, you can absolutely do this with a little bit of AI magic and some tech know-how.

🗂 Save and organize the audio

Start by pulling those voicemails off your phone. 

• iPhone: Open the Phone app, tap Voicemail. Select the message and tap the Share icon. Save to Files, Messages, or Email it to yourself.
• Android: In your carrier’s app, there is usually a way to save voicemails.

No save option? 

🎙️ Record with another phone. Play the voicemail on speaker. Use a second phone with a free app like:

• Easy Voice Recorder (Android)
• Voice Memos (iPhone)

Once saved, keep those files backed up somewhere like Google Drive or Dropbox, so they’re ready for the next step.

🧽 Clean up the sound

Those recordings may need a little TLC.

• Descript – Transcribes and edits audio with a simple interface. You can even cut out background noise and stutters.

🗣 Clone his voice 

If you have at least a minute of clear speech, you can use AI voice tools to create a model of your dad’s voice.

• ElevenLabs – Upload samples, and it’ll generate a voice that sounds remarkably close.
• Resemble.ai – Another strong option that allows emotional tone customization.

Important: These tools are powerful, so use them thoughtfully and respectfully.

📖 Feed a story

Once you’ve cloned the voice, you can type in or paste the text of any story, even something you write yourself. The AI will read it out loud in your dad’s voice. Imagine your kids hearing Goodnight Moon or The Very Hungry Caterpillar from Grandpa.

This is more than tech, it’s creating an emotional time capsule. Your kids will grow up hearing their grandpa’s voice, keeping his memory close in the most comforting way.

And if this inspired you, hit one of those share icons below. You never know who needs to hear this idea right now.

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☠️ Flash your crypto, risk a zip tie ride: The Taihuttu family, famous for going all in on Bitcoin, is now reportedly hiding hand-etched crypto keys across four continents. Why? The recent rise in kidnappings of crypto owners. Here’s a tip: How about you don’t tell the world you’re hiding a ton of crypto? And don’t get the Bitcoin logo tattooed on your arm. 

Big 23andMe lawsuit: More than two dozen states are trying to block the company from selling customer DNA. They’re arguing your genetic code belongs to you and shouldn’t be sold without clear consent (paywall link). 23andMe’s clapback? People agreed to it in the fine print. PSA: You can still delete your data. Here’s how. But it’s probably already been sold off to who knows who.

🔥 Nasdaq’s tech doubt: After an epic run, Goldman Sachs says the tech melt-up may be … uh, melting. Their traders flag a slowdown in “leadership” stocks like Netflix and Meta, plus some choppy “under the hood” signals like volatility sinking too low (yes, that’s apparently bad). Big winners are taking a breather, and the vibes are getting nervous. 

Smarter seat belts soon: Remember when you’d sit in your dad’s car sans seat belt? Me, too. Well, Volvo’s working on adaptive seat belts that tighten or loosen based on your size and how serious the crash is. So if you’re smaller, it eases up to protect your ribs. Here’s a sneak peek.

🏊🏻 AI finds your little swimmers: Sperm, meet machine learning. After 15 failed IVF cycles and 19 years of trying, a couple just got pregnant thanks to a new AI tool called STAR. It scans millions of images to find ultra-rare sperm in azoospermic samples. It’s like if a NASA telescope became a fertility detective. 

Hey guys, your desk job is wrecking your joints! You’re spending hours every day sitting at your desk doing work that runs the modern world. But here’s the problem… Too much sitting tightens hips, stiffens joints, and wears down cartilage faster than you can say, “Lower back pain and sore knees!”

NativePath Collagen is a powerful, scientific way to fight back by:

✔️ Strengthening joints and cartilage
✔️ Improving mobility and flexibility
✔️ Reducing everyday aches

Just 2 scoops gets you 18g of protein to jump start your day!

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Use Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z) to undo anything, that is text, files, even deleted emails in Gmail. Too bad it doesn’t work on chocolate.

🆘 Lifesaving tip: Here’s how to trigger Emergency SOS, fast. On  Android, press the power button five times or more. For iPhones, press and hold the side button and either volume button until the slider pops up. Know this before you need it.

Polishing an email or report? Ask ChatGPT to check spelling and grammar. Just type: “Can you proofread this for me?” If you want it more formal, try: “Please rewrite this using Associated Press style.” You can also say, “Show the changes in bold,” so it’s easier to spot what’s different.

🛡️ Protect your kids on YouTube: Restricted Mode filters out videos flagged as mature (drugs, alcohol … stuff you don’t want them seeing). Click their Profile (top right) > scroll to Restricted Mode > toggle Activate Restricted Mode. Then hit Lock Restricted Mode on this browser. Bonus: It also hides comments.

Never lose your hotel key: Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and others let you add a digital room key to your Apple or Google Wallet. Open the hotel’s website, app or email and tap Add to Wallet. Then, hold your phone near your door to unlock it. No more “missing key” trips to the front desk.

👍 Don’t wait until it’s too late: Viruses attack fast. That’s why I trust TotalAV. Rock-solid protection on up to five devices. Only $19 for the first year. Smart, simple, and it works!*

🚘 A smoother, cleaner, more organized ride starts here.

• Clip sunglasses to your visor with a magnetic holder ($10).
• These headrest hooks ($10) hold just about anything.
• One car charger (20% off) = four ways to power up.
• Clean your seat creases using this mini vacuum (26% off).
• Get that “just waxed” shine with a scratch repair kit (22% off).

📦 Cargo or car go? A two-pack of ratchet straps (10% off) keeps your equipment locked down where it belongs.

🛒 Visit my Amazon store for more of my recommendations.

• Kevin from Cleveland, Ohio, built an app that helped police track down the man who killed Laken Riley.
• Holly from Lexington, Kentucky, says her son Liam placed an order for over 70,000 suckers on Amazon. Without her knowing.
• Wandell from Atlanta, Georgia, made one political donation. Now he’s getting slammed with nonstop texts and wants out.

Plus, Cindy’s company got hacked, Jean wants to sell her biz, Marvis looks for a health app, Tyra makes an AI video, and so much more!

👾 Feed your curiosity: Explore random AI-generated people, cities or startups at This X Does Not Exist.

Scroll the freeze frame of America: Ride shotgun through cities around the world while tuning into local radio. 

🎨 Paint with sound: Turn your keyboard into an audiovisual beat machine. 

Mix it up: Two scoops of collagen* into your coffee, tea or smoothie. It’s an easy way to strengthen your joints and get extra protein. Bonus: It smoothes wrinkles, too.

👏 Buy again: Forget going through your old orders on Amazon. Just use this link to see your favorites and, better yet, see if they’re on sale. Love that.

My dad was the kind of man who didn’t just tell me he loved me, he showed it in every thoughtful thing he did. 

When I was in my 20s, he sat down and gave me one of the most practical, powerful lessons of my life: how to invest for the future using a CD ladder. 

This is the handwritten page he gave me, so careful, neat, full of purpose. That note wasn’t just about money. It was his way of saying, “You’re capable. Prepare for what’s ahead.”

He died unexpectedly when I was just 27, from a tragic reaction between an over-the-counter allergy pill and his heart medication. It caused a fatal arrhythmia. My mom later joined a class-action lawsuit. The product was pulled from shelves, and she received a check for $600. Disgraceful.

He was an amazing father. I am who I am today because of his steady love, his quiet strength and his deep belief in me. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss him. But I hold on to the comfort that one day, we’ll be together again in heaven.

If you’re lucky enough to still have your dad, give him a call. If you’ve lost yours, like me, here’s a hug, and may his memory be a blessing and a light to guide you forward. 🫶

Answer: C) A La-Z-Boy recliner. In the 1950s, Zenith engineer Eugene Polley helped invent the “Flash-Matic,” the first wireless TV remote. It was inspired by how dads didn’t want to get up from their comfy chairs, especially their La-Z-Boys, just to change the channel. 

🪑 What’s the difference between relaxation and laziness? The angle of the recliner. (You laughed because you know that’s the truth!)

The #1 tech newsletter in the United States wishes you a splendid rest of your Sunday. Next up, we’re talking about AI’s attack on white-collar jobs, parkour knees, and Toyota’s new micro camper. See you tomorrow, armed with tips the scammers hope you don’t know! 🚫 — Kim

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