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February 10, 2024

Which tech company made headlines in 2018 for airing a TV commercial in which someone repeatedly said the device’s wake word and ticked off everyone watching it? Was it … Google, Amazon, Apple or Samsung?

The answer: Google. A Google Home commercial had actors repeatedly saying, “Hey, Google,” which triggered devices in viewers’ homes and caused chaos. Oops! That’s why I’m careful not to say “Siri” or “Alexa” too much on my national radio show and podcasts. I don’t want your devices to freak out!

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Stop your devices from listening in

What’s the obvious downside for always-on devices that constantly listen for commands? It’s just that — they’re always listening. Voice-activated tech uses microphones that listen for wake words, meaning they can hear personal conversations you don’t want them to hear.

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Surgical nightmare: A 78-year-old Florida woman died when a da Vinci surgical robot burned a hole in her intestine. They’re blaming faulty rubber sleeves. This isn’t a new event; there were over 20,000 da Vinci injuries and deaths reported to the FDA from 2008 to 2018.

200-foot Alabama radio tower disappeared

No, really. WJLX station general manager Brett Elmore says he’s seen it all now. The station’s radio tower just vanished.

Do this tech step before it’s too late

Someone you love has passed away and you want to save a voicemail to listen to when the grief wave hits. Don’t bet on your phone to keep it for you — I’ve heard from so many people devastated their old messages are gone. Don’t let it be you.

Saving voicemails on iPhone

Go to the Phone app and tap Voicemail in the bottom right.
Tap on the voicemail you want to save, then tap the share button. (It looks like a box with an arrow pointing out of it.) You can now share this voicemail via AirDrop, Messages, Mail, Messenger or WhatsApp.
To save the voicemail on your phone, select Add to New Quick Note or Save to Files. You can access the saved message again in either app — Notes or Files — and play it back at your leisure. Both apps also back up your files automatically to iCloud if enabled.
To save the voicemail to your computer, select AirDrop, then tap on your computer’s name. Both your phone and computer must be connected to the same network. On your computer, accept the AirDrop and save the message wherever you want.

Saving voicemails on Android

These steps will vary depending on your phone’s model, but you can still follow them for a general idea of how to keep those messages.

Open your Voicemail app or go to the Voicemail section in your Phone app.
Tap or tap and hold the message you want to save.
In the menu that appears, look for options like Save, Export or Archive.
Select where you’d like the message to be saved on your phone, and tap OK or Save.

Look at that glow: Avi Loeb, Harvard’s alien hunter extraordinaire, is stirring the cosmic pot again. He explored 2014 meteor crash leftovers — vibrant spheres he’s betting are alien gadgets, not mere space rocks. Critics say, “It’s just coal ash!” The trust? It’s out there.

Glow-up: Apple is ditching its creepy Stalin-looking avatars for a more “I’d swipe-right” vibe — but it’s just a sneak peek for the devs right now. The latest Vision Pro beta update hints at more lifelike complexions coming our way. You’ll soon need a fresh face scan to upgrade from ghoulish to glam.

Toxic trend: TikTok is promoting some seriously shady videos to teen boys — we’re talking “handling disrespectful women” and “female narcissist 101.” There are over 1,000 of these gross vids. Talk to your kids.

🏈 Ticket trap: Scammers are using AI and juicy discounts to hawk phony Super Bowl tickets on social media. If you’re still looking for tickets, go to a legitimate source like SeatGeek or StubHub.

🎶 Bye-bye, iTunes: Windows and Apple teamed up to give iTunes the boot on PCs. The annoying part: Instead of one app, you’ll now use Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Devices to manage all your stuff.

1.3 million users canceled Disney+ 

That’s from September 2023 to December 2023. They blame the “substantial price increase.” Ya think? It’s now double the original cost.

Stop your devices from listening in

200-foot Alabama radio tower disappeared

Do this tech step before it’s too late

1.3 million users canceled Disney+&nbsp;

1.3 million users canceled Disney+