🏁 Drive‑by hacking? It’s a thing: Researchers discovered serious security flaws in Apple’s CarPlay systems that allow attackers to remotely take control of a car. Once inside, they can play music, hijack in‑car displays, eavesdrop on conversations and track a vehicle’s location. No patch from Apple yet.
Tractors, TVs and tyranny
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Picture this. A farmer is out in the fields when his $300,000 John Deere tractor shuts off with an error code. He knows what’s wrong. But he can’t touch it. An authorized (pricey) technician must come to his farm, unlock the tractor’s operating system and fix it.
You see, the farmer doesn’t own the right to repair something he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for. That’s not just a farmer’s problem. It’s yours and mine, too.
🚜 Why this matters
This isn’t limited to tractors. The same issue affects our phone, TV, car, smart fridge, laptop, home automation system and more.
If a part breaks, the manufacturer can decide whether or not you’re allowed to fix it. Companies use proprietary screws, secret tool kits and software locks to trap us in their repair quicksand. They can make parts and tools unavailable. They can lock you out of the software. Even worse, they can void your warranty if you dare take it to anyone outside their little repair club.
John Deere now faces a major lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and several states for blocking farmers from fixing their own machines. The courts recently ruled the case can move forward, and that’s a big win.
Right to repair laws would force companies to make parts, tools and manuals available. They would stop manufacturers from using software to block you from changing a battery, replacing a screen or updating a component without their say-so.
📈 How tech companies rate
I took a look at The Public Interest Network’s “Failing the Fix” report that graded various tech companies:
- Smartphones: Apple and Google top the list with B– grades; Motorola trails at C+ and Samsung lags with C–.
- Laptops: ASUS leads with an A–; Acer follows with B+; Dell, Samsung and Microsoft tie at B–; HP scores C; Apple earns C–; and Lenovo falls to F, due to no repair data on most models.
You can see the entire report here. I thought it was interesting.
🕺 What you can do
600,000 miles
That’s how long the world’s biggest battery maker, CATL, says its new EV battery will last. For context, that’s like driving to the moon and back … then back again. Your EV will give up long before the battery does. Oh, and it also only takes 10 minutes to charge it from 10% to 80%. Wild.
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⚠️ Keep your email private: Big email providers like Gmail and Yahoo track what you do. I use StartMail because it keeps my inbox secure, stops spam with unlimited aliases, and it keeps my personal info private. You can try it free for 7 days, and when you sign up, you’ll get my 60% off deal for the first year! It’s a terrific service.
Talk global to me: OK, so YouTube just made subtitles feel like a flip phone. They’re rolling out AI dubbing that copies your own voice and tone but in other languages. Early testers like Jamie Oliver saw their views triple. Plus, thumbnails get the translation glow-up, too. Repeat after me: J’adore The Current.
🚨 Scrape me up before you go-go: The Atlantic just dropped a seriously creepy tool. Type in your name, and it’ll show whether your YouTube videos were quietly scraped to train AI. No permission, no payment, just … surprise! You helped build someone else’s billion-dollar model. I popped up 75 times. Unreal. Search for your name here.
🗨️ Discord DMs helped crack the case: Discord, a chat app originally built for gamers, is used for everything from group chats to niche communities. The Charlie Kirk murder suspect’s roommate showed investigators Discord messages that laid out his plan in shocking detail, including stashing the rifle in a bush, which is exactly where police later found it. Nothing is private, looks like he wanted to get caught. I’m heartbroken that something so horrific happened in a place meant for open conversation and ideas.
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📂 Kindle maintenance: If your Kindle feels slow, it might be time to free up space. Go to Settings > Device options > Storage management > Manual removal. From there, browse the Books, Docs, Audible or Others folders. Scroll through the lists, pick what you no longer need and tap Remove.
🎧 Spotify hits a high note: If you’re a Premium subscriber, you might now have lossless streaming, aka CD‑quality 24‑bit/44.1 kHz FLAC audio. I say “might” because it’s rolling out gradually. To turn it on, go to Settings > Audio Quality and choose Lossless under streaming options.
Apple ups privacy: Websites can still track you by stitching together your IP, device info and time zone into a “fingerprint.” No opt-out. iOS 26 (out Sept. 16) will auto-block that in Safari. Add in spam call screening and link-tracking protection, and Apple’s getting a privacy facelift.
🎶 TikTok goes wholesome: There’s a new TikTok trend where people just post about a nice day. That’s it. Reminds me of Facebook’s early days when politics and influencer ads didn’t bombard you. A couple photos, soft rock and a caption like “golf + burgers = good.” They call it “Dudes Rock,” but it’s gender-neutral, just celebrating small wins.
👨👩👧 Make Netflix profiles for everyone: Netflix recommends shows based on what you watch, so don’t let cartoons mess up your rom-coms. Go to Manage Profiles > Add Profile > name it > Save. FYI: It also makes it easier to track what your kids are watching. Go back to Manage Profiles > their profile > Viewing activity.
Calendar con job: Here’s a fun new nightmare. Hackers are sliding scams straight into Apple Calendar invites. They toss fake “big purchases” into event notes, slap on a shady customer service number and wait for you to panic-call. Do that, and congrats, you’ve just invited malware into your phone. Even your 8 a.m. dentist reminder isn’t safe anymore. Be scam aware.
😵💫 This is so bizarre: Wikipedia editors are actually discussing whether to delete Erika Kirk’s page because they claim she’s not “notable” enough. She was Miss Arizona, runs her own media and philanthropy projects, regularly appeared on stage with Charlie Kirk and was with him the day he was assassinated, but somehow that’s not worth a Wikipedia entry? If you want to see the back-and-forth or make your own case, here’s the thread: Wikipedia:Articles for Deletion/Erika Kirk. This is why Wikipedia cannot be trusted.
🎙️ Talk is cheap: Startup Inception Point AI is pumping out 3,000+ AI-hosted podcast episodes a week, using AI personalities like Claire Delish and Oly Bennett. The cost? Less than $1 per show. They’ve already racked up 10 million downloads, and now they’re turning these bots into full-blown egoless influencers that don’t need a mic, only an LLM.
More than 80%
That was Tesla’s share of the U.S. EV market back in the day. They’re down to just 38% of sales, the lowest since 2017. Why? While other automakers pump out shiny new EVs, Tesla’s busy dreaming about robotaxis and humanoid robots. Their last “new” model was the Cybertruck in 2023.
🔔 Turn on Instagram post notifications: Following too many accounts? Don’t miss updates from your favorites. Take me as an example. Go to my profile, tap the bell icon and toggle All for Posts, Stories, Reels and Live videos.
Ultrasounds for sale? People were selling them, along with positive pregnancy test photos, on the marketplace app Mercari. They went for about $14 a pop to fake pregnancies and extort men. Wild.