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That’s what Mazda is charging for its connected features. They used to be free, and there was even an open-source (free) workaround. Yep, Mazda had that taken down. They’re not the only car company charging for previously free stuff.
Tags: car, charging, company, features
💩 Speaking of drones: The “Poopcopter” is an AI drone system that cleans up your doggo’s mess in the backyard. Using real-time computer vision and machine learning, it scans the area to pinpoint the poop, and then it swoops down to scoop it up. It’s in the prototype phase, so you’re still on poop duty. Sorry.
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s an insurance drone! Just ask Mike Arman, who was spied on twice by two different insurers. The first refused to renew his policy after satellite images showed his roof “looked deteriorated.” The second hit him with a 25% increase when it was time to renew. Your insurance company could start doing the same.
Apple’s home robots may be coming soon: Rumor has it two smart display devices will run a new operating system called homeOS. The high-end model is tricked out with a robotic arm, a large iPad-like display and a price starting at $1,000. The cheaper model, which is made for controlling home appliances, is expected to debut next year. Yep, AI’s included.
Printer hack (literally): A YouTuber figured out how to use more affordable third-party ink cartridges in HP printers that usually block anything but the HP brand. With a cheap circuit board, the printer gets tricked into believing the non-HP cartridge is genuine and works like usual. HP is threatening to brick any printers caught doing this.
🧬 Your DNA, for sale: 23andMe’s stock is close to being delisted, and the entire board of directors has quit. Now, the CEO says she’s open to selling the company, including the DNA of 15 million customers. Imagine insurers using your genetic predispositions to calculate your risk. Ugh. Log in and delete your account ASAP. Here’s how. I told ya not to use this service so many times for so many years …
🧬 First of its kind: A 25-year-old woman with Type 1 diabetes found her body has started producing its own insulin again after a stem cell transplant. The original cells came from her body and were reprogrammed into insulin-producing cells called islets. Now, she no longer needs insulin injections, but researchers are waiting to see if the results last before considering her “cured.”
🎤 AI’s got talent: A software architect posted a delightful duet with OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode (AVM). With it, the man and the chatbot performed The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby.” Usually, AVM won’t sing due to built-in copyright guidelines, but the guy found a loophole — he turned it into a game, strumming four pop chords and asking if the bot recognized the song. After a few rounds, the bot unexpectedly started singing along. The video is amazing.
Handwriting still matters: Studies show we remember things better by writing them down rather than typing them in on a computer or other device. Why? It activates multiple parts of the brain, like visual and motor pathways, so we process information more deeply. Bonus: Writing down things also boosts your focus and concentration (paywall link).
Poor Swiftie: A Taylor Swift fan had her $3,500 concert tickets swiped right from her Ticketmaster account. Someone hacked in and transferred them out. It’s happening more often, and support says it could take days to resolve — with no guarantees. Ticketmaster’s brilliant advice? Create stronger passwords.
📴 What a coincidence! New York Mayor Eric Adams, slapped with five federal corruption charges, had to hand over his phone to the FBI. He says he changed the passcode to prevent staff from accidentally (or intentionally) deleting important info, and, oops, he forgot his phone’s new passcode (paywall link). Nice try, but they’re still getting in, buddy.
