It’s a techtastic Tuesday! The latest idiotic trend on TikTok: #droppingthingsonmyfoot. One doofus racked up 3.8 million views after he tested his toesies against a computer monitor, air fryer and toaster. He tried it with a drill, too, and TikTok took that one down. A tub of margarine fell on my foot three weeks ago and it still hurts. I can’t believe it’s not better.

😨  Your SSN is for sale. So is your name, age, address, employment history, judgements, likes, medical conditions and countless other details about you. I use Incogni to remove it all for me. It’s so easy and it just works. More below and onto tech smarts! — Kim

I want you to stay ahead of the tech stories the mainstream media won’t touch. The other day I watched a Waymo speed up to run a red light. No matter how safe the autonomous car industry says they are, I still won’t get in one. I’d rather trust my own eyes.

Car companies have a long history of fighting life-saving tech. It happened with seat belts and airbags. Now they’re at it again. 

It’s called Automatic Emergency Braking

This tech hits the brakes up to 62 mph when your car’s cameras and radar predicts you’re going to crash into another car or hit someone. 

You’ve probably used or seen AEB in action. Many cars already have it, especially higher-end models that slow down in certain situations. The latest versions work at higher speeds, in darkness, and detect cyclists and large animals. It scans up to 800 feet ahead.

AEB reacts faster than any human can

• It takes a human driver about 1.5 seconds to perceive a hazard and react.
• AEB? It can detect a threat and apply the brakes in as little as 0.2 to 0.5 seconds.

Americans are three times more likely to die in car crashes than drivers in the UK, Germany, and Japan. Why? It could be that this advanced braking tech is standard there. But here, U.S. major carmakers are suing to keep it off the roads.

Follow the money

Federal regulators voted to require AEB in all new cars and light trucks by 2029. Automakers are fighting back, saying it’ll cost too much. It’s about $354 million or $82 per vehicle.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing GM, Toyota, and Volkswagen, calls it “practically impossible.” Translation: they don’t want to pay. They’ve filed a lawsuit to stop it.

NHTSA says AEB could save at least 362 lives a year, likely more. It could also prevent 24,000 injuries and save $5 billion in property damages. When you do the math, $82 per car is a bargain.

This isn’t speed, it’s safety

Don’t get AEB confused with IAS, which is Intelligent Speed Assistance. That tech is years away and uses GPS with cameras to warn you about speeding or to limit the car’s speed. The NHTSA says AEB is ready to go into every car, not just luxury models. 

I have AEB in my car. It really works. The next time you buy a car, ask for it. This is the biggest car-safety overhaul in decades. There’s a hearing scheduled next month to decide whether carmakers have to comply. If you’re so inclined, contact your representatives and tell them you want AEB in all cars.

✅ Share this intel with someone in your life. The more people who know about this lifesaving tech, the better.

Every day, your personal information is floating around the internet — bought and sold by data brokers who profit off your private details. That’s why I always recommend Incogni.

Incogni scrubs your data from scummy people search sites and shady data brokers that collect and sell everything they can about you. Trying to remove yourself manually? Good luck, it’s nearly impossible. Trust me, I’ve tried.

But with Incogni, it’s effortless. Just sign up, and they do the heavy lifting for you. Here’s what one of my readers had to say:

“I bought Incogni and was absolutely astounded by how much of my information was on internet searches and now it is gone. Thank you so much for suggesting this. Well worth the price with your 60% discount.”

Protect your privacy the easy way. Create an account, sit back and let Incogni take care of the rest.

🚨 PayPal alert: A new phishing email from “service@paypal⁠.com” claiming a new address was added to your account is making the rounds. It says you bought a MacBook M4 or another pricey item. They’re trying to scare you to call the number in the email. Don’t.

Use ChatGPT Premium? Watch out for an email that says, “Action Required: Secure Continued Access to ChatGPT with a $24 Monthly Subscription.” It looks official, logos and all, but it’s not.

🇺🇸  Made in America: Apple is hiring 20,000 folks for software and development jobs over the next four years and opening a new AI server factory in Houston next year. The $500 billion investment also includes building a manufacturing academy in Michigan. Love this.

🙏🏻  Not tech, but wow: A toddler diagnosed with autism was unable to speak. A doctor suggested leucovorin, a cheap drug derived from folic acid that eases chemo side effects. The theory? Folic acid is essential for brain development, but it couldn’t be absorbed properly. Leucovorin bypasses this. Three days later, he started speaking. Amazing.

I’d tell you a joke about unemployment, but it doesn’t work: To get attention on LinkedIn, post a funny video about working. Video content is up 36% this year on the platform and comedians are going viral on the site. Hiring? Use my link to post a job free.*

Don’t look up: Chinese scientists built a surveillance camera that can see your face from space. In a ground test, it locked onto a target 62 miles away and picked up tiny details with scary accuracy. It’s supposedly “100 times” better than today’s top spy cameras and lens-based telescopes.

🤖 Rosie from the Jetsons is here: How’d you like to have your own 5’5” robot to make your coffee, vacuum and put away the groceries? Meet NEO Gamma. No price yet. Check out the video. Would you want one in your house? Let me know when you rate today’s newsletter at the bottom.

ther it’s a “want” or a “need,” you gotta check these out.

• Stanley just dropped new cup colors like cherry blossom and hot coral. I have a white one.
• Keep your leftovers fresh with an electric sealer for Mason jars.
• Need a bigger container? This 50-pack (27% off) is great for meal prepping.
• Serve up homemade fries with a food chopper.
• While you slice and dice, this cushioned rug (30% off) keeps your feet and back happy.

🚗 Time to shine: This is cool, an eraser wheel (14% off) that removes bumper stickers. Polish it off with a bristle head (14% off) so it’s wheelie clean.

Try again: If ChatGPT totally swings and misses responding to your question, give it another go with a model that “thinks” differently. Click the switch icon. GPT-4o is my go to, even though o3-mini is newer.

Be the smart one at work: Download NetSuite’s free knowledge e-book, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.”* No matter what you do, you should know more about AI. It’s not going anywhere.

👀 All the better to see you with: Your iPhone uses the camera to detect if you’re looking at it. That’s why your notifications are quieter, your phone auto-unlocks and your brightness doesn’t dim when you’re looking at the screen. Don’t like it? Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Turn off Attention Aware Features.

See what’s got the keys to the castle: On Android, go to Settings > Security & privacy. Tap Privacy controls to see if any apps have full device access. Steps and names you see may vary slightly depending on your phone.

🏠 Welcome: Simplisafe, Schlage, August, Yale and others let you create a guest code for visitors instead of giving away the main code to your smart lock. Look for a guest icon or option in your lock’s app.

Find anything faster: Press Cmd + Space on Mac or Win + S on Windows to search files, apps and the web without clicking through folders.

Get paid to watch movies: OK, it’s not going to replace your 9 to 5, but we’re talking free movies, snacks and up to $20 an hour for some feedback. Apply on the Market Force Information site. Nice, they only ask a few questions. Some make you fill out your entire life story.

👂 An older couple is at the movies. About halfway through the film, the wife leans over and says to her husband, “I just let out a silent fart. What do you think I should do?” He replies, “You should put a new battery in your hearing aid.” (You know you laughed!)

Big thanks to Incogni for making this tech goodness free to you. If you’re ready to scrub your info off those sketchy data-broker and people-search sites, use my link to save 60%. Trust me, it’s a game-changer. Catch you tomorrow with the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim