🤖 Vader unhinged: Fortnite’s AI Darth Vader went rogue less than 90 minutes after launch. Built with James Earl Jones’ voice and Google’s Gemini AI, Vader now responds to player prompts, sometimes with profanities and slurs (paywall link). Epic rushed a “hotfix,” but let’s be real: The Dark Side has Wi-Fi now, and it’s unmoderated.
Location tracking: Your unsolicited life memoir
ChatGPT
Think you’re off the grid? Think again. Your phone is basically a chatty little informant. While you were living your life, grabbing coffee, sneaking off for that totally relaxing solo cabin trip, it was logging every move like a nosy aunt with a snooping addiction.
It’s all tucked inside a setting most people have never touched. Note: I tested the steps below, but depending on your make, model and operating system, the steps may differ a bit.
📍 Team iPhone
On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations
Yep, it’s buried deep.
Once you’re in, you’ll see a full list of cities and addresses you’ve visited, complete with time stamps and maps. Apple says this helps features like Maps and Photos “learn places significant to you.” Translation: They know when you went to brunch and how long you stayed.
💡 Want to clear it? You can.
Scroll down and tap “Clear History” or toggle it off at the top. Just know: You’ll lose some personalized features like traffic predictions or location-based reminders.
🗺️ Team Android
If you’ve ever used Google Maps, there’s a timeline of your movements, too, all tied to your Google account across devices.
Check yours: Open maps.google.com/timeline. Or in the Google Maps app, tap your profile photo > Your timeline. You’ll see routes, modes of travel and photos … all time-stamped, curated and a little unsettling.
Want more control? Inside Your timeline, tap More (three dots) > Location & privacy settings. You can delete parts of your history or pause tracking altogether.
10
That’s how many NFL stars could make up Team USA’s Olympic flag football roster in 2028. The NFL just gave its blessing for players to suit up for the red, white and blue. Get ready for Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Tyreek Hill to turn the Games into a glorified Pro Bowl.
Right place, right time: A man started having heart attack symptoms mid-flight, but luckily, a cardiologist was on board. Even better? The doctor had all the tools to help, including a pocket-size electrocardiogram to monitor abnormal heartbeats. He gave the man medication, stabilized him and saved his life. Wow.
🥳 Airbnb’s anti-party tech: This summer, they’re once again cracking down on high-risk bookings. The system looks at length of stay, how close you live to the rental and whether it’s last-minute. If you get flagged, you’ll be blocked and sent to a different listing. Don’t believe it? Last year, they stopped over 50,000 people.
Don’t trust pop-ups: A Florida man got a message on his laptop that looked like it came from a cybersecurity company he uses. Then scammers called and said someone took out a gambling loan in his name. The fix? Deposit $38K through a Bitcoin ATM. Yeah, they got him. If someone phones demanding crypto, hang up.
🆕 Android 16 beta is here: It comes with a big design refresh called Material 3 Expressive. Think new customization options, bouncier animations and more. You can try it now if you’ve got a Pixel 6 to 9 or a Pixel Tablet. Just sign up on the Android beta site. FYI, it’s still a beta, so expect some bugs.
Long overdue: You may get a refund from Amazon for a really old order. The company “found” a ton of unprocessed returns, going as far back as 2018. Why now? There’s a potential class action lawsuit about missing refunds. Here’s the kicker: Some folks are getting refunds for items they never returned, while others are still waiting. Ouch.
⚠️ Use Apple AirPlay? Be careful. Researchers found security flaws that could let hackers take over compatible devices like speakers if they’re on the same Wi-Fi. They can control them remotely and possibly use mics to spy. Reminder: Keep your Apple gadgets updated, and turn off AirPlay when you’re not using it.
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📱 ChatGPT is getting physical: OpenAI just dropped $6.4 billion (in stock, because vibes) to buy Jony Ive’s startup, io, the AI device shop he built with ex-Apple folks. Ive’s crew is now officially part of OpenAI, blending brains and beauty to make AI hardware less “black box” and more “please actually use me.”
18 to 24 months
That’s how long it took people to stop Googling “Twitter login.” Elon Musk did a switcheroo with Twitter’s name and replaced it with “X.” Google searches for “X login” have finally pulled ahead. So yes, brand recognition does come … eventually. Just don’t expect some to stop calling it “Tweeter.”
🦈 Shark fisherman saves the day: Yes, there is such a thing. A shark fisherman (who can’t swim) saved a girl caught in a rip current by airdropping a flotation device with a drone. His first flotation drop missed. Luckily, round 2 was a direct hit. Lifeguards don’t patrol that part of Pensacola Beach, and drones aren’t even allowed farther down. The EMS said it straight: Without him, she wouldn’t be alive.
Getting weird Ring emails? You’re not alone. People are receiving legit Ring account sign-up messages they never asked for, and some of the usernames include racist slurs. It looks like hackers got hold of a bunch of stolen email addresses. If one lands in your inbox, don’t click anything. Just delete it.
30 minutes
How fast Nvidia-grade AI hardware can crack your 8-character password. Hive Systems ran the numbers, and yeah, it’s bleak for your bare-minimum login. It can also crack a numbers-only string in about three hours. Pro tip: Save yourself some peace of mind by using the same password manager I do.
Pixel update gone wrong: If your Google Pixel is acting wonky, it’s not just you. The May update was supposed to be minor tweaks, but now people are reporting battery drain and overheating issues. It’s hitting everything from the Pixel 6 to the Pixel 9. No fix yet, but I’ll keep you posted.
🪂 Fortnite is back on the App Store: After five years, you can finally download it again on your iPhone or iPad. It was pulled when Epic tried to skip Apple’s payment system. But now, devs can link to outside payment options. And yes, it might be a good time to keep track of your kid’s screen time.
🚨 Hackers can disable Windows Defender: A sneaky tool called Defendnot tricks your system by pretending to be another antivirus. Since Windows doesn’t allow two at once, it shuts Defender off automatically. Crazy, right? Just another reason to always use strong antivirus with real-time protection. TotalAV is my go-to!
61%
That’s the share of parents who use DoorDash. More than half of families with kids are ordering delivery at least once a week. Because between soccer practice and homework meltdowns, no one’s got time to sauté. Basically, Uber Eats is the new family dinner.
🛠️ Hood’s up, scam’s on: Scammers are showing up to buy your car and sabotaging it mid-sale. They’re pouring oil into the coolant to fake engine issues, then trying to lowball you into selling the vehicle cheap. Even if you don’t fall for it, you’re stuck with a mess and a repair bill.